The next big Adventure
by Vengeful Timetravels
Summary: Death is nothing like Harry and Hermione expected...He's actually a nice guy...sort of...Owing them a favour, he sends them back to the world of the living... and back to 1991. This time, there will be no deaths! Not if Harry can help it. HHr. Time travel
1. Through the Veil and Beyond

Disclaimer: I do not own the Harry Potter series. I do not intend to make profit from the Harry Potter series in any other way than to improve my own writing.

Here's a new story, It loosely follows along the same lines as my other story; 'A Desire to set things straight'. I wrote this chapter because my inspiration seemed to take me to a world parallell to that of my other project.

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><p><strong>Through the Veil and beyond<strong>

"I don't really think that we will be able to find anything of use, Harry." Hermione said, a little bit hesitant. She knew that Harry had put his heart into proving that everyone was wrong. Harry just continued to pace around the Veil, closely examining it from each and every angle. Hermione shook her head in disbelief. Harry could be so...stubborn sometimes – to not use a stronger word. Hermione bit her lip. They'd been in the Department of mysteries for quite a while. When Kingsley, or any of the ministry workers – especially the Unspeakables – found them, they would be in deep trouble. It was an evening in August, 1998. Harry was having a theory that the Veil, being mysterious to everyone as it was, didn't kill Sirius. Instead, it might just have taken him...somewhere else. Harry was convinced that he at least owed Sirius to try out everything that could rescue him out from there.

"Harry? I don't think that this is a good idea."

He didn't seem to hear her. Harry stopped in front of the opening. Hermione could hear him mutter to himself. If she wasn't used to his use of language, she would be berating him for swearing so much as he did right then. Harry sighed.

"I know this seems pointless, but still – has anyone really _proven_ that this thing kills whoever that steps through it.?"

Before Hermione could reply, a cold, snarling voice replied behind her.

"Well, why don't we find out?"

The two teenagers turned around. An all too familiar blonde wizard smirked at them. He drew his wand out from his cane.

"Lucius" Harry spat. "I should have imagined that you would still be as rotten as ever, even considering how I saved your worthless son's sorry arse." The death eater seemed untouched by the remark.

"I beg to differ. I am of the purest of wizards." The wizard smirked. He pointed his wand towards Hermione, who had yet to draw her own.

"Move over to your lover, mudblood." He ordered. As she began walking, his smirked turned into a laugh as he fired a beam at her. Harry acted before he could think.

"Hermione, watch out!"

Hermione turned around just in time to see her best friend throw himself in front of the spell. The force of it launched him further. He hit her, carrying the momentum of the spell and she began to fall backwards. The surprise made her barely register the pain before she felt a strange pull. Harry coughed and tied to stand up, a little disoriented. He turned to the veil to see the same sight as roughly two years ago. This time, however, there was no one to stop him as he ran after the victim straight into the unknown.

Harry opened his eyes. He didn't remember when he closed them. _I've really messed up this time. And I don't believe there is any way to fix it._ He looked around him to see a white, very thick fog around him. He struggled to recognize anything. A small cough notified him that he and Hermione had ended up in the same place. His best friend of seven years embraced him.

"Harry, I am so sorry, if it wasn't for me-"

"Shh, don't feel sorry, it is my fault more than yours. If I never convinced you to follow with me to the department..." He interrupted her with a said tone. It seemed to fail.

"I could have researched the Veil more in books before we went there, I could have made you wait." Hermione insisted.

"We are both equally at fault then? It seems like a rather pointless discussion to me." Harry compromised. After a short silence, Hermione nodded in agreement. They stood together, looking at their surroundings, of which, apart from each other, was quite impossible to work out.

"Say, what is this place?" Harry asked, both Hermione and himself.

"I don't know, maybe we didn't die after all? I mean, if we were dead, I'm sure that there would be more people than just you and me." Hermione exclaimed. Then it hit Harry.

"No...I'm sure that we are...Oh merlin Hermione, I am sorry, I should never have insisted that Sirius could still be out there..." Hermione gave him a questioning look.

"Of course...If he would still be alive, I would not have seen him with the Resurrection Stone, would I?" Harry explained. Hermione looked like she would blush, but couldn't. Harry figured it had to do with the state of their bodies. Or whatever it was now.

Suddenly, shadows began to appear in the distance. Still unable to see the terrain, Harry and Hermione didn't turn to run.

"You know... we don't really have anything to fear. I mean, we concluded that we already are dead, right?" Harry joked. It did help to lift the mood. Hermione smiled faintly. The shadows were close enough to be counted. Harry registered seven figures. As they got closer, they too were possible to examine more in detail, just as Harry could see Hermione clearly. Six of the figures wore white, hooded robes. The seventh, taller than the rest, had a black robe which covered not only his face, but had sleeves long enough to cover all his limbs. The white robes did at least stop at the shoulders, revealing human arms. The tall figure, obviously the leader of the group, shook his head. "What am I to do with you two...huh? So pure...yet performers of such a wrongdoing." It was with a dark, hollow voice. It felt to Harry somewhat like the first time he met Voldemort in person. Only this fellow used a different effect to instil fear. It did, however affect Hermione. She flinched as the figure raised his arm. Part of the robe fell down his arm, revealing a skeletal hand. The figure put his hand against his face. It was then that one of the white hooded figures burst into laughter. Everyone else turned to watch the laughing guy in surprise, including the leader. It didn't take long before both Harry and Hermione recognized the voice when it spoke.

"That gesture was just as funny as it was looking scary. You're damn good." The voice complimented. The skeletal man just chuckled with him.

"I do get time to practice, you know. After a few millions of visitors, it gets tedious to act like some kind of evil, sick ruler who welcomes new slaves." Harry barely registered the joke that the leader told the others. He just stared at the man who he'd been searching for months.

"_Sirius?"_ He whispered. The seven of the robed group gave him a look. Five were neutral, one with amusement. The seventh, the person addressed in question, took his hood of.

"In the flesh. Or not technically, but I am here." A tear went down Harry's right eye, as he rushed over and gave his godfather a hug.

"Whoa there, Prongslet, in theory, you shouldn't be happy to see me. I mean, you're here too." Sirius pointed out. Harry quietly repeated the phrase. "I'm so sorry. Sirius, I am so sorry." Hermione looked at the other five in white robes. Four of them were standing in pairs, the last one was alone. Curiously, she exclaimed.

"If Sirius is here, I'd assume you four were Mr. and Mrs Potter... and perhaps Professor Lupin and Tonks?" The quad nodded and took their hoods off.

"Surprise..." Hermione muttered.

"Mum? Dad?" Harry asked in disbelief. He wasn't able to go on before he was embraced in a hug from his parents. He gave a small sob.

"You can't imagine for how long I've wanted to feel this." He blurted out. Lily Potter gave him a kiss on his forehead.

"And you, my dear son, can't imagine how hard it is to see you here. One part of me is overjoyed, the other in despair. Life's too cruel." She finished with a sigh.

"Hey! I'm like what? Just five years younger than when you died. You're not really setting a good example." Harry laughed. The others soon followed. Harry turned to Remus.

"I am sorry for your son. It seems like Hermione and I have put him into the same position as I grew up in, without both parents and godparents. At least he has his grandmother." Remus nodded.

"You are in no way at fault Harry. No more than we are."

"So who's the last guy?" Harry asked.

"I'm hurt, oh boy-who-don't-live-up-to-his-title. I think I will make your stay here a little more unpleasant than this guy" The man pointed at the leader with his thumb. "Would chose to judge you with." As with the others, Hermione was the first to recognize the identity of the person.

"Fred." She breathed.

"To quote our dear Padfoot here. 'In the flesh'" The Weasley redhead smiled at her. Harry looked to face the black robed man.

"I take it that you're the one people refer to as 'Death' then?"

The man, or figure nodded.

"Why are you all wearing robes?" Hermione interrupted. The six of their friends all chuckled. James Potter answered.

"Because this guy" He also pointed at Death. "Always insists at going around in those gloomy clothes. We thought it would have a good effect if we also came in similar robes."

"Good?_ Good?_ They almost scared me to...well...uh..." Hermione hesitated. "Fine, they did have an effect." She admitted after a short while. Death laughed.

"Trust me, these robes are worth wearing. You have no idea how pale your beloved headmaster became when I forgot to bring them. Needless to say, a smiling skull does also have quite an effect." They all laughed. Hermione smiled at him...it...she decided to just call it Death.

"You're not quite as I'd imagined you to be. For a ruler of the afterlife, you are...how should I describe it? Like Harry. So...powerful? Influential? Not really famous... What I mean is that you act really modest, considering the position you are in." Death shrugged.

"Somewhere along the way you just get tired of keeping up the scary impression and decide to go with something nicer." He paused, looking thoughtful. "I don't really understand why you humans pictured me to be this guy with a scythe, ready to harvest souls. It's really offending, you know, being compared to a dementor like that."

"I knew that the stories had to be based on something..." Hermione muttered.

"Back to the matter we came for." Death said, suddenly more serious. Hermione and Harry both sobered up.

"Maybe you might have figured, maybe you might not have. This isn't the usual place where people end up in. I don't personally come to judge each and every soul that enters my domain."

"Excuse me, but isn't this a place where you have full reign? Can't you, like, be here and then visit other dead people without any actual time passing? It's not as if it the world of the living." Hermione asked curiously. Death laughed.

"You, my dear girl, are the first person who is more concerned with figuring out the laws of the realm of death than being worried of your own fate." He shook his head in disbelief. "I haven't tried." Hermione stared at him, with an open mouth.

"What? You'd think I'd like to talk to thousands of people every day? I would go...how to put it...mental within days." Most people in the group chuckled at the reference to how Ron usually described Hermione. Oddly enough, she didn't laugh at the joke.

"So...What brings us the honour?" Harry interjected, before his best friend tried to hex the very being who held their fate in his hands.

"…"

"Well?" Harry urged him to answer.

"I owed you a favour." Death finally muttered.

Harry and Hermione looked at him in disbelief.

"You _did_ off the snake bugger. You have no idea of how much his Horcruxes irked me." Death shook his head. "At least, when your ancestor Ignotus asked me to give him the cloak, I knew that I would get back at him. Eventually." They shared a laugh.

"I suppose that you really gave the three Peverells the Hallows, then?" Hermione asked. Death gave her an approving look.

"Ever the detective. You know, if it didn't help me to piss that Tom fellow off, I would go and demand my stone back from ol' Nick."

"I thought I destroyed it in first year." Harry pointed out. Death did not agree.

"You think that a stone of supposedly perfect material would break when you drop it? Please, spare me the dumbness. It might affect your dear girl over there. And here I was, enjoying an intellectual conversation for once. Everyone else just panics when I visit them." Death shook his head, emphasising the joke.

"But Dumbledore-" Harry began, but Death interrupted him.

"Also kept you from meeting your godfather, left you to rot with your Aunt and Uncle, let you participate in the tri-wizard tournament, waited long enough to have you watch said godfather fall into the very same place you just died in." Death paused his rant. "It did look amusing that you two didn't learn from that lesson. I won a few bets with my brother when you got hit with that curse."

"You've got a brother?" Harry asked, distracted from the talk about Dumbledore. Death nodded.

"If I am the end of life. He is the beginning. I think most in your world refer to him as the Creator. Stupid name. I mean, his real name is Richard." Death shook his head again. "Stupid design he had. Making this blasted world. He'd better be grateful that I take care of the cleaning after him. Who knows what would happen if he handled both life and death? Everyone would probably be immortal, just for his convenience. He hates work, I tell you, nothing ever gets done."

Harry and Hermione exchanged confused looks.

"Enough about me, about your headmaster. I don't like the guy. Gives me a whole lot extra work, that one. Almost as much as snakey-face." Harry's face turned into a slight colour or red.

"I won't let you insult Professor Dumbledore, he told me the reasons behind his actions when I got hit by the killing curse." Death looked seemingly uninterested. He didn't seem to listen at all. With a giggle, Hermione recognized him to do an impression of Lavender examining her fingernails.

"Yes yes, of course. We all know how saint-like the chessmaster is. He managed to sacrifice each and every single of his pieces, to get one clear shot against the opposing king. Sadly, in a real war, capturing just the leader isn't always enough to win, not if your own side no longer has a fighting force." Even Ron would be impressed with the analogy.

"The guy watched as Grindelwald reigned for years before he acted, _years_. And he did it because he was pitying himself for what he might not even have done. He turns a blind eye to people that might be repented, letting innocents suffer on their behalf. He even gave snakey a good chance to regret." Death paused.

"While you gave him a small, noble, chance. Albus Dumbledore watched Tom Riddle grow in power for fifty years. He knew the lad antagonized the orphanage, how he founded his small group of naughty executors at school and how Tom supported the purebloods."

"But he did a lot of good too!" Harry argued. Death waved it off with a hand.

"What? What did he do? Clean up after his mistakes? Credits to him, that's more than most people would do."

Harry's lip turned into a thin line. Death was impossible to argue with. Harry decided to change tactics.

"Fine, have it your way. You think he didn't do much good. Newsflash; people are not perfect. Humans do what with they are given. What warrants such hate against him from you?"

Death sighed.

"As I said Harry, I owe you two a favour. And he's just making it harder. My sister, uh, who – like your friend Tonks here, dislikes being called by first name, has been buggering me for years to pay you back."

"How is that related to Dumbledore?" Harry asked.

Death moved a bit uncomfortably, sitting down on a couch.

"Many people say... uh, that fate is a bitch. If you'd seen my sister, you'd be inclined to agree. Ever since Tom took steps to avoid me, she has looked for a way to end him, too. She thought that you would be a good person to fulfil the prophecy she wrote. She's a really bad poet, if I might add." He paused to let the others laugh.

"She did, however, want to give you a good life in return, as to balance the scales, if you understand my point." Harry and Hermione nodded.

"Thing is, the actions of Albus Dumbledore, while with good intent, did – to use a little more crude language – screw things up." He sighed. "There's something in that saying...how was it? The fastest way to hell begins with good intent. Speaking of hell...it sounds like an interesting addition to this realm, don't you think? I could make it, like, really hot and put people in there for a couple of weeks to make them sweat before they consider crossing me again." He laughed at his own pun.

"Back to old good Albus. Those blood wards would ensure that you were safe, yes. However, he thought that living with the Dursleys would make you have a down-to-earth personality. He didn't want you to end up like the Malfoys. We all know how they became, you two are here in advance, after all." The two teens blushed.

"I got to admit that I could have handled the situation better. Should have just disarmed the creep."

Harry muttered. Death, however, seemed to be of a different opinion.

"If you had, would you be sure that your friend here wouldn't have ended up getting blasted here alone? I prefer this way. Makes it possible for me to get everything over with earlier. Yes, soon I can go on another holiday..." He stopped before the glares of the others. "Can't you guys take a joke? It's not as if it is about life and … forget it, I didn't say anything." The others chuckled. The tension lifted considerably.

"And we strolled away from the matter yet again." Death muttered. "If I could just tell you everything I wanted you to know right away, it would spare me much trouble later. But my sister would never let me hear the end of it if I did. Some things you simply have to figure out on your own." Harry and Hermione shrugged.

"Where was I? Ah, yes. You grew up without the fame. Something which was a pretty good idea. Too bad you could have spent the time being tutored by him, or Remus." Death gave the werewolf a nod. "Personally, I think adding fuel to the fire of a troublesome fate isn't very nice. There was more than one time when you were lying in your cupboard that I thought I would have an early visit." Hermione gasped. Harry received strange looks from the others. Death tilted his head.  
>"You never told her about your childhood?" He asked.<p>

"Here I thought that you were watching my every action." Harry retorted.

"The question was half-rhetorical. It was to make you reconsider." Death said. If he had any eyes, he would be rolling them by now.

"Harry... Don't you trust me?" Hermione asked, a little hurt. Harry spun around.

"Of course I do, 'Mione. More than anyone else. I just never wanted to bother you with things that already have happened."

Hermione crossed her arms. Harry frowned.

"What?" He replied.

"For how long?"

"How long what?"

Hermione sighed. Harry was _very_ bad at avoiding questions.

"For how long were you abused by your aunt and uncle?"

Harry hesitated. Lily put her hand on his shoulder, trying to give him support.

"Tell her, dear. It would hurt your relationship if you didn't."

Harry sighed. He couldn't argue with those two women either.

"It began when I was...three? I got a cut on my hand when I was in the garden, cutting the bushes with a scissor. I got punished because the blood stained Dudleys old clothes." As he continued. Tears began forming in Hermione's eyes.

"Oh merlin Harry. I never noticed. I swear, if someone just had told me-"

"Then I would be fighting a losing argument with our Headmaster whether or not I would be allowed to stay away from Privet Drive." Harry sighed.

"I supposed that it didn't only bring bad things. I learned to run fast." Harry chuckled. No one else did. "I can proudly say that I can cook pretty good. Better than most in this room I'd bet." He got a smack on his shoulder by his mother.

"I would accept your challenge if I only could..." Lily mused. Harry ignored the comment.

"Also, I felt that I could relate to you in a way." Hermione looked offended.

"I was never beaten by my parents." She growled.

"But we had many things in common when we started at Hogwarts, didn't we? We were both a little short on friends. We were both from households which used no magic. We were both sorted into Gryffindor-"

Death began laughing, along with small chuckles from Lily and James. Harry, Hermione and Fred looked at them as if they had admitted to loving Malfoy.

"_What's so funny?_" Harry asked. Death stroke an imaginary tear from his not-so-visible face.

"And both of you were due to be sorted into Slytherin." He howled with laughter. Harry flinched.

"There is that... wait – Hermione in Slytherin?"

Death tilted his head.

"Would you think that she would be able to study for a test 2 _years_ in advance, read up to be ahead of the school curriculum in third year, and try to help you kill a dark lord without Slytherin traits? I don't know what you call it, but I would say that it is ambitious beyond every students to have walked the halls of Hogwarts, rivalled perhaps only by Snakey himself." Harry didn't know what to say. Hermione blushed.

"Now, Dumbledore thought that the treatments of the Dursleys could have created a hatred from you towards muggles, much like it did to Tom Riddle. If it would have, my sister had spun the net to make sure you would succeed where Tom failed." Harry paled at the mere thought of him being the dark lord.

"He decided that you would need...a push in the right direction." Hermione understand what he meant, but Harry lost the last colour in his face. He gulped.

"Harry? What does he mean?"

"'Mione, do you remember when we first met? On the train?" Hermione looked a bit thoughtful.

"Yes, it feels weird, but I can remember it perfectly. I think the realm has something to do to help the memories of it's visitors." Death confirmed it. "Why?"

"Were the compartments overly filled?" Hermione blinked.

"No, there were many compartments who were empty, in fact. Our generation were one of the smaller ones. You know, since most were born during the darkest hours of the first war. The years that began in our second and third year were much larger."

Harry closed his eyes, and did a long inhale.

"Harry? What's wrong?"

"Is there any other common method to get to Hogwarts, other than the express?" Harry asked.

"No, of course not! Hogwarts puts effort into security too, you know." Hermione stated.

"So, suppose that a woman walks on the platform, muttering about muggles, along with four children, two which seems to be in their younger teens, and two that looks to be first years. She asks her daughter about what the name of the platform was. I'd say that it looks suspicious. The reply 'nine and three quarters' caught my attention, when I was lost, trying to find the way. Conveniently enough, Hagrid had forgotten to tell me where I would get on." Hermione frowned. Understanding the implication, but not connecting it to the whole. Fred coughed.

"I wondered why we never Floo'd to the station. We always do."

Hermione stopped her thoughts to look at him as realization dawned on her. Harry continued.

"Next, after Fred and One-ear." A pause for snickers. "Announced to the rest of their family that I was Harry Bloody Potter." Harry spat his own name. "The youngest son comes into my compartment, wondering if he could join me. _Because all the other compartments were apparently full_." Hermione looked at him. Wide-eyed.

"No... it can't be." Hermione stuttered. Harry continued his rant.

"He was the first real friend I had, you know. The first person who seemed to be in the same shoes as mine. New to the school. Not knowing what to expect..."

"Not knowing what to expect?" Fred interjected. "He's been told about Hogwarts from every single member of the family since before he was born." Harry waved it off.

"Which just confirms that I was set up." Hermione looked at him, pleadingly.

"Harry, don't. Not to Ron." She whispered, with tears in her eyes.

"There's your boyfriend, 'Mione. The boy-who-led-me-to-believe-I-was-not-worthless. Sadly, at the same time. He did things to show his jealousy to the extreme." Harry shook his head in disbelief.

"Harry, I won't stand for you to disrespect Ron just because he can't defend himself against the accusations."

Fred snorted.

"'Wee Ronniekins does not need to be defended. He's guilty as charged." Hermione gasped.

"How can you say so about your own brother?" She shouted. Tears began forming in her eyes. What a bad day! First she has to be killed by getting sent through the Veil when she's helping her best friend. Then she learns that her other best friend and boyfriend is sort of a fraud – at least partially.

"What proof do you have?" She yelled, trying to play a last card.

"Fourth year. Triwizard cup. Abandoned because I got more unwanted attention." Harry said in a cold voice. Hermione lowered her shoulders.

"Ten months ago. Tent, somewhere in a random forest. Abandoned because he didn't believe in our cause any longer." Hermione growled.

"We sacrificed everything we had for you. How can you expect something like that from us?" Harry's face remained neutral.

"I did tell you that I wanted to do it alone to begin with. That I was afraid that you would get hurt. I wouldn't hold the tent incident against him if it wasn't for the incident when he came back."

"There was something like that, then?" Hermione asked in a puzzled expression.

"You never told me that! You came with him, said that he could be trusted again."

"That's after he pulled me out of the water, somewhat saving me." Hermione smiled victoriously.

"See! He isn't bad at all!"

"After that, we tried to stab the locket. As Ron grabbed the sword. Visions began taunting him. Visions of us, together." Harry seethed. Hermione's smile faltered a bit.

"What do you mean?"

"It displayed his darkest feelings. It showed him us killing." Harry spat. "Saying that he was always inferior. Always overshadowed. How you could chose him."

"That's ridiculous! Why would he be anything by angry by those remarks?" Hermione frowned.

Fred answered.

"Because 'Ickle Ronnie has an inferiority complex. And his jealousy completes his personality in the most negative way." Harry nodded and continued.

"Don't you think that the it's worrisome that worst feelings that Ron has is those of jealousy towards us? It's not fearing for his life. Not worrying about his family. Not even worrying that the girl he loves, you, is in mortal danger and has been the entire year." Harry ranted. "His worst fear is thathe won't be anything by second place." Hermione just shook her head in disbelief. She didn't want to hear more. She couldn't believe such a thing about her boyfriend. She couldn't believe that her best friend spoke about him in such a manner. That kind of behaviour belonged to Malfoy...and with a sting she realized that Ron was not a stranger to it either. Death broke her focus when he clapped his hands together.

"Enough with the depressing talk. You may both be right. I don't know where to place that man either. Perhaps a teeny little bit as a hell-tester, before he can move on to a happy place. I don't know." Death shrugged.

"Back to the favour I owe you. Since my sister... let's just call Fate, okay? She would be rather angry with me if I kept you here. Not to mention furious when her predictions are wrong. I want to offer you a way to return." Harry and Hermione both gasped. Death continued.

"So many people died ahead of their time, Fate would have my head if I let this slip by. She also advices against you getting together with the Weasley kid." Death said with a glance at Hermione. She huffed.

"Oh, don't misunderstand, please. I never said that you shouldn't befriend him. He could be a good friend and an even better asset to your group, but Fate... let's just say she had planned another partner for you. One that would love you for exactly who you are. One who would not demand that you would change your habits." Hermione blinked.

"Perhaps I will try. Perhaps Ron and I were never meant to be." She whispered. Death nodded.

"Likewise, Harry Potter, you are not fated to be tied to Ginerva Weasley-"

"'Ickle Harrikins was together with Gin?" Fred interrupted. "I thought she ordered our products because her friends wanted a silly chance at their crushes."

"…"

"Bloody hell." Fred, Harry and Hermione blurted out at the same time. Hermione quickly realised her slip-up and covered her mouth. Death sighed in annoyance.

"Yes, yes. She did something of the sort. Not that it would be overly lasting, that one. The potion, however, could be the source of many troubles and heartbreaks, had it worn off at the wrong moment." Harry pondered the matter for a moment. After a short while, he concluded; "I suppose that she always was a little bit too believing in the legend known as 'the boy-who-lived'. I also know of a story that Mrs. Weasley told us about how she used a potion to make Mr. Weasley notice her. Even though it turned out fine in the end, since Mr. Weasley liked her, too, Ginny might have gotten a little too inspired by the story. Maybe she hoped that it would be the same with me. I won't hold it against her." Death shrugged again. The carelessness of the being amazed Hermione. Perhaps one could manage even if one wasn't tense about everything. Death conjured a contract.

"This is my masterpiece. If one were to sign, I could give them a return to the realm of the living. Under certain conditions, of course. You would be bound by oath not to reveal your secret to anyone that has not signed a similar contract." Hermione gave Harry a look. He nodded. She decided to trust him with this one.

"I accept." She grabbed a quill that Death provided her and signed. Harry took the quill, but hesitated. He looked at his family.

"Will you not be coming with us?" He asked. His parents shook their heads.

"The favour was to be repaid to you and Hermione, and you two alone. Or perhaps only to you, but she got caught up in the middle." Lily answered. Harry gave her a sad smile.

"I will miss you."

"So will we, son. But we will wait for you, right here. Live your life, give us some grandchildren. In a hundred years, perhaps, we will see each other again. Go. It's time for your next big adventure. Find your fated. Live for the both of us."

James Potter told him.

"I will." Harry replied. He turned to Fred.

"I am sorry that we can't go on together." Fred shrugged in a very Death-like manner.

"Live your life for me too, will you? Watch over George for me." Harry nodded.

Sirius, Remus and Tonks gave him a hug.

"We will see you soon." Sirius whispered.

"I won't be too long." Harry replied quietly.

Harry then turned to face Death.

"Some last questions..:"

"Yes?"

"Is it really only because you got tired of being scary that you were treating us so nicely?" Death let out a laugh. This time it was much darker and hollow than how he had spoken with earlier.

"Do not worry, Harry Potter. I can be scary when I am inclined to. However, women could be truly scary things, too. Without revealing too much, I will just say that Fate wanted me to be gentle with you, after all you have gone through. Besides" Death scratched his head – purely for the effect, of course. "I appreciate the help you have given me. I hope you would do the same, should the same situation rise." Harry wondered what he was getting at.

"Why wouldn't I?" He honestly said. Death just nodded thoughtfully.

"Was it anything more?"

Harry lowered his voice.

"Do you know who my fated is?"

Death chuckled. Harry received smiles from the others.

"She might be closer than you think." He winked at him. Harry extended his hand.

"Thank you for everything. I will not let you down." He said. "And I will do my best to make her happy." He added so low that only Death could hear. Death gladly shook the hand. The skeletal fingers felt cold and creepy, but somehow not that unpleasant. He replied.

"No Harry, thank _you_. Go back. Give them Hell." With a last chuckle at his own pun. Death, along with the six from Harry's family disappeared. Harry looked at Hermione.

"Well, that was a weird meeting." Harry exclaimed. Hermione nodded.

"I must say that both Death and Fate got a weird sense of humour." Hermione smiled.

"So, how do we get back now?" Harry asked, as he signed the contract. Hermione bit her lip.

"I don't know. Maybe we should just... wait?"

The fog seemed to get tighter and tighter. Harry grabbed a hold of his best friend.

"Hold on to me. Wouldn't want to get lost now." He could feel his her free hand taking a grip onto his arm. The fog soon blocked everything in their sight.

After a short while, the fog was lifting. Harry blinked. He found himself on a train platform.

A quick look confirmed that it was the Hogwarts express standing ready to depart.

"I wonder why we are-" Harry stopped. His voice sounded much brighter than normal. He looked to his left, still feeling the grip from Hermione. A very familiar girl stood beside him, only that she was much younger. Her hair was as bushy as he remembered from their early years. She blinked.

"H-h-harry?" She stuttered. "You look like you are eleven again." Harry laughed.

"Look at yourself." She looked down, noticing her own smaller body.

"Oh" Was all she managed to say.

"That rascal. When he said 'back' to give us a second chance...I never thought it would be this literal." Harry laughed. Hermione smiled at him, revealing her once again larger front teeth.

"I guess we were just victims of a prank huger than the Marauders or the Twins would ever have thought of."

Before Harry could reply, he was interrupted by a female voice.

"There you are, Hermione dear. We were so worried that we had lost you. Who have you got there?"

Hermione blinked. She had not seen her parents since summer holiday following her sixth year. She knew she had to think of something fast.

"_Mum_. I can handle myself for fifteen minutes without supervision. If I get lost, I can just read where to go in _Hogwarts: A History._ Oh, and this boy is Harry Potter. I found him looking for the platform. It's fascinating! Harry here is mentioned in _Rise and fall of the Dark Arts._ He's really, really famous! The book said everything about him. But he is not like I imagined him to be. I mean, I expected a famous wizard to be showing off his popularity. It's amazing to think that he asked me for help." She said in a proud tone. Harry silently laughed at the imitation of her twelve year old self, which she did very good. Helena Granger gave her a worried look.

"Hermione" She scolded. "It's rude to talk about someone like that. Don't forget that he can hear you." She then turned to Harry. "I hope my daughter is not too much of a hassle for you, Mr. Potter. It's a pleasure to meet you." Harry smiled at her.

"The pleasure is all mine. Contrary to what the books said – I think, I've never read them and I've never given consent to publish anything about me, and definitely never given any author an interview." In the corner of his vision, he saw Hermione faking a shocked look, clearly saying she couldn't believe that a book could be wrong. "I didn't grow up in a pampered home, nor did I have the chance to meet very many friendly people that were my age. I am happy to have a friend that will attend with me in my first year at Hogwarts."

"It gladdens me to hear that." Helena Granger said with a smile. Harry could see that both Grangers' eyes were beaming, even if only one of them were genuine.

"My, how the time flies by fast!" Hermione said. "We need to get on now, or we will risk missing the depart." Both Harry and Hermione's mother looked at the clock, to find it being half past 10. They rolled their eyes; the train wouldn't depart until 11 o'clock. Hermione, however, took Harry's hand and began pulling him towards the train. Harry gave Emma a small wave as they stepped in. Helena turned to Daniel Granger.

"My, my, it seems like our daughter is growing up, it seems like she has gotten a crush within minutes of stepping into the Magical world" She exclaimed. Dan Granger growled.

"She better not do it too fast. I'd hate to wring the neck of her first friend just because he used his fame to also become her first boyfriend." Helena smacked him on the shoulder.

"You didn't listen to him? He is not like any other famous person." Dan chuckled for a while.

"It's my duty as the father of a daughter in her teenage years to be distrusting of any boys who has taken an interest in her." He replied bluntly. The two elder Grangers shared a laugh.

"It seems like we gave them the wrong impression." Hermione sighed as soon as they were out of hearing range. Harry gave her a grin.

"I don't think that there was anything wrong in our handling of the situation."

"But my father thinks that we will grow up to be a couple!" Hermione whined, blushing.

"Where's the wrong in that?" Harry continued grinning. Hermione's face got redder and she smacked his back.

"You are just like your father!" She yelled.

"So they say. At least, I don't think it's weird to see you agree with Snape on that one."

"Oh, just shut up." Hermione covered her face with one of her hands. _Seems like my mind is adjusting to the innocent body of a girl before her teens._ She thought.

"Language." Harry jokingly scolded. "It wouldn't do for a lady in your age to to swear."

"Prat." She shouted, as she waved her wand to conjure a pillow to hit him with. After receiving a few blows, Harry sat down together with her.

"So, what do we do now?" Hermione asked him.

"This time" Harry said with a determined look in his eyes. "This time we will make sure that everyone makes it out of the war alive." _And just you watch, Death. I will show you that a Potter always keeps his word._

* * *

><p><em>AN:_ While I am happy with how many people that liked my other, very first attempt at a fanfiction, I looked back at the story I had written so far. I really like the storyline, it looks like how I expected it to do. Now, I noticed that the quality of the chapters changed at a rapid manner. Everyone, including myself, would agree that the early chapters weren't even close to the later (post chapter 11) releases. When I try to base the story upon how it looked early on, I feel backed into a corner. I created this side-project to practice my writing for my main story. It has a high probability of getting a few releases before I publish chapter 17 in 'A desire to set things right' (Chapter 16 already half finished.)

Next release will either be chapter two of this story, chapter 16 of 'A desire to set things right' or a re-write of the first 11 chapters to put the quality more in line with my current style. At least this is proof of improvement!

'til next time.

V.T


	2. Fate is a bitch

Disclaimer: I do not own this Universe

^ Anyone knows if I have to write this for every chapter or just in the beginning of a story?

This chapter took longer than usual to write.

* * *

><p><strong>Fate <em>is<em> a bitch**

"No no no...NO! You shouldn't move your bishop there. Let the knight move instead." Hermione growled. These pieces just simply refused to listen. Harry laughed. It put her off, at least a little, not because they wouldn't listen, but because it would mean that Harry would be winning. Why couldn't they be normal chess pieces? Was that too much to ask? And why for the love of God...err...Richard – or whatever Death had called his brother – did the other pieces listen to Harry from the start?

"'Mione, I think you should be more firm when you order your pieces." Harry suggested.

"Firm? It's not as if I am hesitating when I tell them to move." Hermione frowned.

"Absolutely not. But you _do_ sound like you're asking them to move instead of ordering them. 'Hello Mr. Bishop, would you please move to c4?'" Hermione glared. "Well, technically, it does sound like you are asking them for a favour. You should do it more like 'Bishop to c4!'" When the pieces shouted their agreement. Hermione sighed.

"What is it with boys and Wizarding Chess?" She rolled her eyes. Harry grinned.

"But you don't mind normal chess?" He asked.

"Why should I? It is challenging your brain and stimulating. It is as good a brain training as Arithmancy." Harry laughed. Hermione was the only person he knew whose definition of fun was doing school work. Then he looked around, ensuring no one would hear them.

"But you are not supposed to know about Arithmancy yet." He said in a lower whisper. Hermione's response was a little embarrassed.

"Oh..."

"Knowing you, you probably studied it by now too, didn't you?" Harry teased her. Hermione looked thoughtful, trying to recall what happened during the summer seven years prior...or as of now last summer.

"I don't remember..." She finally said. Harry gaped with an open mouth.

"You'll catch flies if you keep up like that." Hermione said, twitching her lip.

"Hermione Granger, _forgetting_ something? Have you been memory charmed?" Harry laughed. Hermione glared.

"I am human, you know."

"You are? Blimey, never noticed." Harry was about to say something more, when the pillow once again hit his head. He quickly looked into Hermione's eyes, trying to see if he'd upset her. He didn't find any hints of malice, but he did see that somewhere deep, he'd hit a nerve. He did not think that it was the joke that had set her off, but the phrasing. He recalled the days in fourth year, before the Ball. _She was very upset when Ron exclaimed that she was a girl._ _Perhaps she does not want people to admit that there was something about her that they did not recognize. _Harry secretly vowed to himself not to make the mistake again. Trying to change the subject, he looked out of the window.

"Wizards and Witches sure are bad to get to places at the appointed times." He noted. "I never had time to check before, but every year, they seem to come just as the train is about to depart." Hermione nodded.

"It may be the convenience of apparition and floo that makes them so optimistic about time." She too, looked out the window. Then she got a curious expression, she had that look in her eyes where she just couldn't wait to get to the library to look something up. Harry had seen it all too many times during their seven years together.

"I wonder...this platform, it is hidden behind a barrier in King's Cross, right? How is it that the creators could fit this _inside_ a barrier? It is not really an extension charm. I mean, that would mean that the whole wizarding world would be inside this train station." Harry rolled his eyes. There was only one person that he knew of, that could be distracted from her personal feelings by a mystery. Of course, it was she of all people that had come with him to the past. Or wherever they were, at least, they were in 1991. That was the only thing he was sure of at the moment. Seeing that she was expecting an answer, he took the first similar thing that he knew of.

"Umm...It looks kind of like number twelve, you know? When I heard the name of the house, the buildings moved, splitting the street and adding another house. What if they didn't fit it _inside _the barrier, but instead charmed the platform to fit in _between_ the platforms 9 and 10?" Hermione's eyes widened. She beamed.

"That's brilliant Harry! I should have thought of that..." She paced off. Harry blinked. _I hope I didn't hurt her self-esteem. She isn't used to people figuring things out faster than her._

"I have something of my own I wonder about, 'Mione." She looked at him, her interest awakened.

"Go on, please." She urged.

"I know that you are more experienced with time-travel than I am. How is it that we can change it like this? In third year, we didn't change it, you know. It was set to happen, since everything led to me using the Patronus just in time to save ...uh, myself..."

"I don't know. I have never heard of a spell like this..." Hermione began. Then she gave out a yelp, as a third person appeared in the compartment.

"Don't scare me like that!" She shrieked.

"It was not my intention, though I did enjoy it." The newcomer replied.

"What are you doing here? _How_ is it that you can be here? You just sent us here." Harry asked. Death shrugged.

"I was bored." He said, as if it was obvious. He put his feet up on the opposing coach.

"_Bored? _You come to another realm because you are _bored?_" Hermione blinked. Death scratched his head (without taking his hood off).  
>"I guess."<p>

"Eh, how can you not be sure? You are here, aren't you?" Harry asked, a little confused.

"Actually, I don't remember why I came _here_" Death began. Hermione rolled her eyes. This guy was hopeless when it came to planning, apparently.

"I suppose that my siblings played a prank on me when I took a break. I just...appeared to be in this world one day, and thought that I ought to see how you were accommodating." Death explained.

"One day? But it has only been like... fifteen minutes since you sent us here!" Hermione said, surprised.

"Has it?" Death tilted his head. When he noticed that they weren't in the mood for such a joke they would classify as... lame, he continued explaining.

"Time might flow differently here... perhaps... I am sure that I was done with my 'hell model' before I blinked and found myself in a graveyard, I wonder why I was sent there of all places." The three all snickered.

"My sister was happy with the way you put on the image of your younger self in front of your parents, by the by." Death said to a beaming Hermione. _I wonder if she will realise that my sister and her parents are both having their imaginations about how the marriage of these two will look like. _Death thought to himself. _She is putting an awful lot of attention to these two. I suppose that they are quite interesting individuals. _

"She said that she agreed with your opinion, Harry, that you should do your best to change the world for the better." He nodded in the boy's direction. Harry rose an eyebrow.

"Would you mind telling me why we were sent back in time, though?" He asked in return. Death shifted stance uncomfortably, it was almost if he was squirming, but Harry and Hermione both knew that there was nothing they could do to put him into a bad position. Being almighty did seem to have some perks.

"That was not me! I swear... or perhaps not swear, but at least I plead not guilty" Death stuttered, using the guttural speech that came with having the body of a skeleton. Anyone could, however, tell that he was enjoying the conversation. The two teens-turned-children both glared at him. After a short while, he stopped acting, and gave a small chuckle. It didn't help to lift the mood.

"Fine, I was coerced into lending my hand in the matter by my sister." He paused, presumably doing the skeleton equivalent of blinking. "She does seem to be the source of a lot of trouble, now that I think about it." Hermione and Harry both rolled their eyes. Death hurriedly went on. "Seriously! I never noticed before. Guess that comes with being the workaholic of the family..." Death trailed off.

"Get back to the point." Hermione said, noticeably annoyed.

"I thought I was doing you two a favour. I mean, there _is_ a lot of people still alive, that could be saved." He said. Hermione frowned, then bit her lip. Harry, on the other hand, brightened up.

"Sirius is alive! Fred, Tonks and Remus too!" He cheerfully said. Hermione didn't share his excitement.

"But are they the same as in our world? Harry's parents couldn't come back, why would they be able to...?" She exclaimed. Harry caught on, his cheerfulness gone. Death looked as if someone had given him the solution to a riddle.

"So _that's_ why I couldn't find so many souls back home." He did a gesture indication he had realized something. Hermione gaped at him.

"How could you fail to notice that until now, if so much more time passed there?" She wondered.

Death looked hurt.

"Hey! I got about 100 billion human souls to keep track of. I don't only have to keep track of the batch that arrived the latest six to seven years all the time." Harry blinked.

"There are that many souls at your place?" He asked curiously.

"Yes, your ability to reproduce is quite incredible." Death said. "Or wait... you do not have that many children. There was some guy 'couple of decades ago that had tons children with different wives. I can still remember the faces of the women when they found out that he didn't give them unrivalled devotion. I wish I had the option of getting popcorn while watching some family reunions." Death shook his head in a disappointed manner, sighing.

"So, is it our Sirius that is locked in Azkaban, or is it another Sirius?" Harry repeated Hermione's question.

"I guess." Death shrugged.

"You haven't done this before?" Hermione gasped. "It could dangerous to mess with time like this? Do you realise what you have done? Isn't there a relative of yours that handle time?" Death nodded.

"Sure is. That is my other sister. She has been whining the last eons that she is tired of controlling something that goes in only one way. She was happy to experiment." Hermione rolled her eyes.

"Deities." She muttered. "Have never seen more careless beings." Death feigned hurt.

"We do care. Else we would have truly bonded you with the redhead boy. We would get a little tired of having a couple in the afterlife that wouldn't get along for five minutes straight, though. Married people always end up in the same place, for some reason." Hermione sighed.

"See? That's exactly what I mean."

"With what?" Death asked, a little confused. Hermione growled in response.

"Forget it."

"So, how long will you stay here with us? People will get suspicions if we are seen with you." Harry asked, a little worried that they would have to tag along with Death any longer.

"I do have to get to back to work soon, I think there has to be a couple of thousand people waiting to be judged by now." Death agreed. "But I did put up a privacy charm before I entered." He assured them.

"Amazing." Hermione said.

"Thank you for the compliment. But a privacy charm can be cast by most students at your school."

"Actually, that wasn't what I was thinking of."

"Huh?" Death tilted his head, questioningly.

"What I meant was, it's amazing that you are toying with the laws of physics enough to destroy the universe as we know it, but are caring enough to put a sodding privacy charm before you enter a train compartment." She shook her head in disbelief, leaving the other two to laugh.

"This is serious!" She shrieked.

"Yeah yeah, whatever." Death said. "I think I will be going. I need to...eh...judge some souls."

"Didn't all souls end up in the same realm no matter what they have done?" Harry asked curiously.

"Uh..."

"So why would you need to judge them?" Harry repeated.

"…"

"You're not really going to go back, are you?"

"I was trying to enjoy a nice holiday, and now I have to find time later..." Death began muttering.

"Of all the lazy..." Hermione began. Harry chuckled.

"I feel for you mate, it's what I've wanted since snake-face set his eyes on me too." Harry shook his head. Death lift his head. Hermione could swear there were light coming out of his hood.

"I will check in later, then. I know this perfect place..." Death began. All three of them heard a coughing voice. A girl, looking to be perhaps seventeen years old was glaring at the hooded skeleton. Said skeleton seemed to shrink in an instant.

"I thought you would be telling them the details and then be off." Her eyes hardened. "We are not supposed to be here."

"Eh, actually I was just about to go..." Death began. He was interrupted.

"But you didn't really tell them, did you?" The girl seethed. Hermione stared in awe, Death was _afraid_ of this girl. She decided that she might as well stick up for the guy who had helped them.

"Actually, he did tell us _some _things... he just eluded our questions. We are not really supposed to be nosy about divine business, are we?" She tried. The girl shrugged.

"What difference does it make if two mortals knows how things work? My _brother_ here is just all too eager to not tell you the things you could learn because he's afraid that you will slip between his fingers just like that other guy... that Mystery guy did. Of course, if I had to decide, you would not be given any information at all. We have no obligation to tell you anything." Hermione blinked.

"You mean Riddle?"

"Riddle, Mystery, Question. What difference does it make? It's still the same person, no matter what we call him." The girl frowned. Hermione tried not to snicker. _She's as hopeless as her brother. _

"I heard that." The girl growled. "Be happy that I sent you two back in your original bodies. I am feeling like having you two swap... or change your partners. You're lucky that I still let you two be bonded to-" Death put his hand over her mouth.

"I think it's more fun to not spoil the fun." Death explained. Hermione giggled.

"But what did she mean, 'slipping between your fingers'" She wondered. Death sighed.

"I thought I gave away too much, okay? Could you promise me to still destroy the Horcruxes?" Harry nodded.

"We want Voldemort gone as much as you want to claim his pieces." He agreed. As he spoke his words, a black mist came forth from his scare, before disappearing. Death cheered.

"That was the first one, six to go." The three of them chuckled. Death's sister was still trying to get his hand away. Hermione took a closer look at her.

"Which one of your sisters is this?" She asked Death.

"Bitch." He said.

"What?" Hermione looked shocked. Harry growled. Death looked confused, before he excused himself.

"Oh, sorry, I didn't refer to you. I was referring to the saying." He said hurriedly.

"Fate then." Hermione said. Death nodded, making Harry laugh.

"So this is the lass that has given me so much trouble over the years?" He smiled. Death nodded and put his hand away. Fate coughed a few times, before blushing.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to. I was just making this poem about how Mystery-" "Riddle!" "Whatever-his-name-is would be defeated, I didn't think that people would take things so seriously." She hung her head in embarrassment.

"Good to see that at least someone in your family got some tact." Hermione laughed. Fate glared and waved her hand. Hermione found herself thrown into the couch. Fate snapped.

"One more uncalled remark and you will find yourself the marked one instead of your friend here. He would enjoy having his parents here, too." Fate looked thoughtful for a moment. "I've never tried changing history like that though." Hermione rolled her eyes. "I saw that" Fate shrieked. Death laughed at the outbursts from his sister. She turned to him.

"I am not finished with you yet. What were you thinking? I told you to let them be alive to find the love I dictated for them. What did you do? Send them back _seven_ bloody years? Give that boy a break! He has already been forced to kill because you were too damn lazy to just go and remove those Horcruxes! I want you to _stay out of my work_! When will one of my stories finally go as I have written them?" She ranted.

"Hold on!" Harry began. "What do you mean by stories?"

"What happens in the world of the living is what I decide will happen. This brother of mine and that old guy, Bumblebee or whatever his name is, just can't get into their heads to _not_ interfere." Fate seemed to be on the verge of snapping again. "And your story would have been my masterpiece, too. If only that insect guy just didn't let that spying guy away with my poem..." She sighed. Harry and Hermione snickered at the misunderstanding the deity had made with the meaning of Dumbledore's name.

"Eh, but could you answer whether it's the same people that have returned to be alive, or if it is different versions?" Harry asked nervously, not wanting to upset the fiery deity more. She gave him a thoughtful look, her lips twitching slightly.

"I suppose that it is the same very souls, technically the same people. I would say that no one of them has any memories of the past reality though. It would be the same as a time turner... but with only one version of you in this time. Would that explain it?" She asked, but addressing no one in particular. She shook her head.

"I don't think anyone of us has a true answer for that, I'm afraid. We are, abilities and races aside, souls. I wouldn't bet my money on surviving a dementor's kiss myself, by the by." She admitted. She took Death by the arm.

"I think it is best that we go before we influence your matters too much. It's no fun placing bets when someone is cheating, right?" She smirked at Death. Harry and Hermione gaped.

"You WHAT?" They said simultaneously. Fate gave them an apologetic smile.

"This bugger and our brother made a bet about how many people that would make it out of the war alive this time. Of course, I was banned from participating..." She rolled her eyes. "I hope you two do it right this time. Did you like the chess board I placed in your bag, by the way? I figured you might need practice if you decide not to bring the Weasley boy to that stone. The choice is, of course, your own to make." Hermione smiled back, though not _overly_ friendly.

"That was you? And here I thought it was weird I couldn't remember getting one." Fate curtsied.

"Just a small favour. It doesn't hurt to be nice to Harry, after screwing one of his lives over..." She giggled. Harry rolled his eyes when the others began laughing.

"Great that at least someone is amused by the way I've lived." He muttered. "I feel sympathy for Kreacher now..." He whined. "At least Kreacher didn't have homicidal maniacs after him during his childhood." The others hurried to apologize.

"Where was I?" Fate said with a confused frown.

"You were about to go somewhere else." Hermione reminded her.

"Ah, right. I think we will be back to check in with you two every now and then, though. It seems like we need to have a little more interventionism than just creating a universe and watching things unfold." Both humans quickly agreed.

"Until next time then." Death bowed. As fast as an Apparition, but quietly, the two deities disappeared. Hermione sunk back into the couch with a sigh.

"No wonder our world has turned out the way it is..." She yelped as a sting of pain struck her head. A note appeared on their table. _I heard that_. It was almost printed rather than written.

"Huh, perhaps the Death guy had a point when he told us during our first meeting." Harry mused.

The line _Of course, I always have _appeared next to the first sentence. Harry and Hermione both snickered.

"Well, at least we know that life will not be dull with those two behind our back." Harry smiled.

"Is life ever dull with you in the picture?" Hermione teased.

"I find it tempting you have you taste a certain pillow right now..." Harry retorted.

"Aww, you wouldn't hit a girl, would you?" She smirked at him.

"You're right. I wouldn't hit a small, innocent, eleven year old brat." He countered.

"Hey! I'm twelve in less than three weeks." She whined. "And it's still almost a full year older than you." She finished.

"It's been a long time since I have heard a girl take pride in her age..." Harry laughed.

"Prat."

"Know-it-all" Harry returned. Hermione flinched. Harry looked in panic.

"Sorry 'Mione. I know how you don't like being called that." He hurried to apologize.

"It's okay Harry. I shouldn't get hurt hearing it just between us. It was just reminding me of some painful memories." She waved it off.

"Maybe I will have to keep you in a collar until you can control your habits?" Harry suggested.

"If anyone needs a collar, it's you. The last thing we need is for you to run off to save someone else. Merlin knows how you hate attention already." She laughed. It felt good to think of something else.

"I am sorry, but I quite like saving people. It makes you feel like you can do a difference. It can lift your spirit when you know that you need everything you have because a Dark Lord is after you." Harry smiled back.

"I think that we will need another mentality when fighting Tom this time." Hermione said.

"Mentality?"

"Last time, it was either constantly vindictive and in rage, or in fear of being hurt. I think that there is a point in how Dumbledore acts." She explained. "Being calm, calculating and not losing your temper could make us avoid traps and not rush head first into ambushes."

"You may have a point. But I don't want us to make any sacrifices if we can avoid it." Harry said firmly.

"Agreed."

They sat in silence for a short while. Hermione then took a quick look at the clock.

"I think we should change into our robes now, might as well have it done before the depart as doing it when all the toilets and good changing rooms are busy."

* * *

><p>It felt good to back into <em>fitting<em> clothes again. Harry was glad to be rid of Dudley Dursley's _huge_ jeans. Seriously, how did people expect him to explain how his clothes were practically hanging enough to reveal his underwear? Gee, sometimes he wondered why people didn't stare at him because of how weirdly he'd have to dress himself when in casual clothing. Oh wait, that's right, because they were always staring at the bloody scar. Harry and Hermione came back to the compartment at pretty much the same time. Hermione stood still, staring at him. _What is she looking at now? She couldn't be look at me in _that_ way? Could she...? No! Snap out of it. She still has feelings for Ron._ Hermione burst out into laughter, as if she had heard him have _an_ internal conversation. Harry frowned.

"What's so funny?" He asked.

"It feels so weird.?" She managed to say between her fits of laughter.

"What?" Harry tilted his head. Hermione put her hand on his head and ruffled his hair.

"Look Harry, I am taller than you." She snickered. Harry glared at her.

"You're acting _so_ mature, considering your age." He snorted. She blinked.

"I suppose that being eleven again affects my mind a little. Haven't you noticed anything?"

"Being beaten by my uncle certainly let me have my childhood." Harry muttered. "I guess I've had the same personality all the time, perhaps I was more naïve when I was younger, but that's probably it." Hermione felt tears welling up in her eyes.

"Oh Harry..."  
>"Don't mention it 'Mione. It's in another time. If I can help it, I will never go to the Dursleys' again." Harry sighed. They sat in an awkward silence, before they heard a knock on the door.<p>

"Excuse me? Could I sit here? The other compartments are full." A familiar redhead stood in the corridor. Hermione and Harry exchanged quick looks. Hermione looked pleadingly at Harry. Harry rolled his eyes. He gestured to the youngest Weasley male to chose either of the two remaining seats. The boy smiled and sat next to Hermione, opposite to Harry. Harry didn't know if he should smile or cringe when he noticed that she was about to rest her head on his shoulder, before she realized where she were. Her eyes screamed something along the lines "_not a word about this later_"

Harry mentally cursed himself. _This is Hermione god damn it. Why am I feeling jealous about her? She's like a sister to me. _But Death's words were echoing in his mind. _She might be closer than you think_. He blinked, not able to use another reaction, since he was watched by the other two. _It can't __be. Otherwise Death and Fate would have told us just a moment ago._ He shook the thought away and smiled at his friends.

"Sorry, I had a flashback." He half-lied. They shrugged in acceptance.

"I forgot to introduce myself. I'm Ron Weasley." Their friend happily said.

"Hermione Granger, Pleased to meet your acquaintance." Hermione beamed. Harry couldn't help but to notice that her act was way out of the normal Hermione.

"I'm Harry. Harry Potter." He said, hesitantly. He knew that both of the others already knew. He sighed.

"Would you please stop staring at my scar? The only impression I've gotten from the Wizarding World so far is that they all want to lay down on the ground and worship eleven year old boys who doesn't know what they are talking about. Are they recruiting for some kind of cult that needs young, naïve followers or something?" He joked. Hermione giggled, but Ron seemed seriously frightened. _Should have known that a boy his age doesn't understand sarcasm._ Harry reprimanded himself.

"Nothing of the sort! Wizards are just grateful and willing to express their thanks to you. Say, did you really defeat a dragon at the age of 5, like the stories in the books tell us?" Ron tried to excuse, while at the same time changing subject to Harry's rumoured 'achievements.' Harry grinned. Not at the assumption Ron had about some strange adventures that Harry might have had, but instead at how Ron had reacted when Harry expressed a bad impression of Wizards.

_What have they told him? That their poster boy would disappear if he was treated badly? That it would be bad for the name of whoever that made him go away?_

"Dragon's exist?" Harry asked, trying to look amazed. In the corner of his eye, he could see Hermione's lips twitching. Ron brightened up. _Is that because he is happy that he knows something about magic that I 'does not' or is it because he can brag about-_

"Of course they do! My brother Charlie – he's second oldest – works with them. He lives at a camp in Romania, tending to them. He's only home for the holidays, but I could try to write him if you want to speak with him." He said with a proud tone in his voice. _First time I've heard him speak of his brothers and not look jealous. Maybe we can make him feel that he's not some sort of third wheel this time._

"That'd be awesome mate! So, he's second oldest? I take it that you have one more, older brother then?" Harry asked. Hermione rolled her eyes.

"No." Ron said, trying to give space for a punchline.

"You haven't one older brother? I thought you just said-"

"Five." Ron said. He looked somewhat in a dilemma. Harry was sure that Ron had both positive and negative feelings about being the sixth child.

"You've got _five_ older brothers? You're lucky, man. And here I'm stuck with my aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon. My cousin, Dudley, he doesn't really like me, you see. I'm happy that they agreed to give me a ride to the station."

"Wait until you hear the worst bit. I'm not the youngest." Ron grinned.

"You're kidding!" Harry exclaimed.

"No. Gin's one year younger than me. She's the only girl in the family – save for mum." Ron said.

"Poor girl." Hermione tried to join the conversation. Ron looked hurt. Harry was unsure whether it was the assumption that it was troublesome being the only girl in a batch of seven – and the youngest, or if it was the the word 'poor' that had hit a nerve.

"I couldn't describe it better myself." A voice said from the entrance of the compartment. A very much younger Draco Malfoy stood there, with his usual smirk. He stroke a strand of hair back.

"Malfoy. Draco Malfoy. A pleasure to meet your acquaintance, Harry Potter. Soon, you will learn that some families are better than others... I can help you to separate good friends from bad friends. Wouldn't you agree that it would be in your best interest?" Draco smirked and extended his hand.

"Come. Let's not associate with the Weasleys. They've got more children than money. As for the mud-" Before Ron could hex him, and before Hermione had time to react. Harry stood up and clapped his hands. A look of surprise was etched in the faces of all the others. Well, save for Goon one and Goon two.

"Impressive speech. Who wrote it? How long did you practice it in front of your mirror? I swear, I would like to have a deal with your mentor. I mean, sooner or later, someone will force me to talk in front of the public. It would be nice to have some guidelines." Hermione smiled at him. Ron looked disgusted and Malfoy was blinking, unsure if it was a serious compliment or a sarcastic insult.

"Harry mate, you can't trust him. He's a slimy Malfoy. The whole bunch of them are Death Eaters." The redhead shouted, clearly misunderstanding the implications that Harry made. Harry rolled his eyes.

"Now, Draco...or do you want to be addressed by your last name? No reply? I think I will have you go with another name then... hmm, what to give you..." Harry winked at Hermione. "How about Ferret? Suits you. It's different from just first and last names. Oh, forgive my manner." Harry sat down. Still ignoring Draco's hand. "I never answered your question. I believe that a smart person does not go around and make enemies out of people before he has even got sorted." Harry waved his hand at Ron and Hermione. "You might even end up in the same house as one of us. It's a shame that you tried to insult them before you know what they are made of. Who knows? Seeing as you didn't think of that, I guess I will have to put you in another category than 'smart people'. Too bad." Harry shook his head at the face of his rival, which was getting redder and redder the more he spoke. The blonde boy grabbed his robe.

"I will have you take that back. Pothead. When my father hears of this-"

"He will sigh at how you miserably failed. He will not look lightly at how you managed to not only make an enemy of Britain's poster boy, but also how you openly conflicted said poster boy. Not cunning at all. Perhaps, if you don't take this advice to heart, you will find yourself in another house than Slytherin." Harry shook his head again.

"He will also let you know how incredibly stupid it is to threaten someone, when you yourself are standing at point blank range in front of a witch holding a wand. Especially when you have insulted said witch." Draco looked at him in confusion. As the look of realization showed on his face, he quickly withdrew his hand from Harry's collar. Harry brushed some imaginary dust from his clothes.

"Thanks for letting go of me. I will give you another tip in return." Harry drew his wand. "If you have a firm hold of an enemy. Do. Not. Let. Go." He grinned an evil smile. "It disappoints me that you are so easily manipulated. I wonder... you fell for a bait so easily. You rushed head on into a trap. How... brave. What would your dear father say if you end up in Gryffindor?" Harry paused to let the taunt sink in. "I think that if you want to save some face, you better take your leave. I will see you at the Lion's table." Harry tried to make a good impression of the Snape Smirk . Draco gave him a hateful glare.

"You will regret this Potter. This isn't over yet." With Crabbe and Goyle in his trail, he quickly walked out of the compartment. Harry slid back onto the couch. Ron was staring at him, wide-eyed.

"That was brilliant mate! You really ticked him off." Harry put down his wand beside him, he nodded at Hermione, who did the same. They didn't want to sit unarmed.

"It is not just to my credit that the boy known as Draco Malfoy is horribly bad at calling bluffs. Or making speeches, for that matter." The three of them laughed. Harry blinked.

"He might really belong in Gryffindor at this rate." He noted. Ron choked.

"Are you kidding me? There hasn't been any evil wizard that hasn't come from Slytherin. Rumour has it that You-know-who himself was in Slytherin."

"I beg to differ. I have got very good sources that tells me that there has been one or two black sheep in Gryffindor, too." Harry replied. "I read a book which Hermione here was kind enough to show me. The man who betrayed my parents' location to Voldemort- stop flinching! It's just a name. Anyhow, my parents only entrusted our address to a select few people, all of whom were in Gryffindor. I think that that could only mean that Gryffindor got it's few shares of darkness, too."

"Bloody hell." Ron didn't know what to say. Hermione smacked him on his shoulder.

"Language, Ron! I am sure the professors will not take lightly to cursing." She reprimanded.

"So, what houses do you think you will end up in?" Harry tried to change the subject. Ron shrugged.

"All of my family has been in Gryffindor. It's the house of the brave. It's the best house. I don't think one or two should dictate the entire image of the house."

"But you think that Malfoy and Voldemort – oh, why can't anyone hear his name without shivering? It's. Just. A. Name. Just because they turned out to be evil, does that mean that the entire house is evil?" Harry pointed out. Ron looked at him as if he'd grow a second head.

"It's the bloody – ouch, stop hitting me – house of the snakes. Each of them are Death Eater children."

"If you say so... I am not one to shatter every existing belief in the time window of one hour – I will leave that to some otherworldly being." Harry muttered, earning him a giggle from Hermione. They knew he spoke from experience. Ron waved it off.

"So, how about you two?"

Harry glanced at Hermione.

"I think that we could end up in any of the houses. We've stood up for each other against bullies before, we both feel a need to learn more, we would easily rush to protect a friend in need. Finally, you saw how we outwitted Malfoy." Ron raised an eyebrow.

"You've known each other for a time?"

Harry mentally cursed himself. Why did he slip there? Hermione was quick to save the situation.

"We went to the same muggle school. Harry's been living with his relatives. We were both quite shocked to receive our Hogwarts letters." Ron's eyes went wide.

"You didn't know about magic? But you beat you-know-who!"

"Ron, I was one year old. I don't remember what happened. All I can recall is a green light. My Aunt – she and her son are my only remaining blood relatives – hates magic with a passion. I didn't know of magic until I got my letter."

"What's the muggle world like then? My father works with them – loves everything that has to do with muggles. I don't really see how they could be fascinating, really."

"Oh Ron, they are not that bad. You see..." Hermione began explaining. Harry rolled his eyes. Hermione was in teaching mode.

This would be a long trip.

* * *

><p>An: I don't know. I don't really see this as an OOC Malfoy. I mean, I don't think going soo far is out of character for him if he was provocated enough.

Blooper Alert! In chapter one - which no one has pointed out, I accidentally had two different names for Hermione's mother. One was Emma - out of old habit, seen so many fic's go by that one, look carefully and you will notice it. I won't change it (for the fun of people going blooper-hunting). The other was Helena. It is a reference for the name of Hermione's mother Helena in ancient greek mythology - read about the Trojan war if you want to look it up. I used Emma first, but I wanted to go with Helena myself - must've missed one when I was replacing during the proof-reading before I uploaded chapter 1.

Did you like my version of Fate? I would've tried to make her even more extreme, you know, just to milk the pun to it's fullest. I just thought that if I took it one step further, it would be a goddess acting instead of just having small fits of childish outbursts.

I hope that you have as much fun reading this chapter as I had writing it.

V.T


	3. Overstepping her bounds

**Overstepping Her Bounds**

Making friends of the most danger-prone boy in Hogwarts. Check.

Helping said boy survive his years at Hogwarts. Check.

Following boy on dangerous journey to defeat the Dark Lord. Check.

Finding all the horcruxes. Check.

Defeating the Dark Lord. Check.

Falling into the Veil of Death and finding yourself back in 1991. Oh bugger...

Hermione Granger was annoyed. Not annoyed like mildly infuriated, but instead nigh on murderous. She hated being unable to take control of her actions. Apparently they seemed to spin off quite often over the past months. _I don't get it. Why does these kind of things always happen to Harry...and therefore by extension me? _She had been thinking that when she signed the blasted contract, they would be back to where they _died_, not having to worry about some bloody racist who they had, in fact, already killed once. And it's not as if it was some easy walk in the park usurper. No, instead, they had to fight he-who-just-can't-get-harry-out-of-his-obsession. What was wrong about the Wizarding world in general? They got an unhealthy amount of worship towards people who does things for them. As long as they are still human, of course. Who would dream of thanking a house elf? Oh, that's right, only Hermione herself. Certainly, there was a lot of cursing the deities on the schedule of one Hermione Granger.

Hermione did a short recap of the events that had shaped her life, Where did everything go out of her control? The more she thought of it, the more she realized that she'd always been in a rough position in some way. Being the lone daughter of two prominent dentists, she was expected to follow into their business of academics. She was the most studious in every year of school she attended. Always being flagged as the local bookworm, she had not made a huge amount of friends. _Scratch that. Before Hogwarts, there was no friends at all. _Somehow though, She had always gotten out of sticky situations. The occasional prank failing. Sometimes people had tried to drop a bucket of water on her. The freaky thing was when she never seemed to get damp by the water. As if the water tended to avoid her. Her parents, noticing her loneliness, had done everything in their might to cheer her up. The summers had an annual holiday to various locations. This led to the impression of Hermione being spoiled. _Did they _really_ do me a favour that way?_ The thought was worrisome.

But after her eleventh birthday, it all changed. She had gotten an unusual letter from Hogwarts school of witchcraft and wizardry. Her parents rejoiced when they heard that there was nothing wrong with their daughter, that she simply was _gifted_ instead of being some outstanding freak. They didn't think anything of the sort about her, of course, but sure enough they were a little scared of the strange events that occurred close to Hermione.

Hermione did not even need to ask her parents if she was allowed to attend.

Shortly after they had replied to her letter, the deputy head of Hogwarts, Professor McGonagall had come to give them a brief explanation on how the wizarding world worked. Naturally, they had not included anything like the pureblood views on the muggleborns, or anything about dark wizards. Magical creatures usually seemed to have a lack of common sense, but they sure had marketing experience. It was a scary thought in the event a Wizard or witch actually _did_ possess common sense, because then they almost immediately were at the top of their year. Hermione shuddered at the thought. When people like Cho Chang or Marietta Edgecombe were the Ravenclaws, one would only cower in fear from the thought about how the other houses were. Actually, Hermione briefly questioned how the Sorting hat worked. How did people like Crabbe and Goyle even end up in the house of the cunning? _That was perhaps a bad example. Was there any other house they did fit into?_ The more Hermione thought about it, she was ashamed to admit that the two goons' most distinguishable traits were their bravery (or incapability to recognize danger) and their so-called _loyalty _towards Malfoy (which was pretty questionable, considering the incident in the room of requirements). Both traits were actually more Gryffindor-ish than anything else. _I wonder if the sorting is fixed. Perhaps the headmaster can chose the house that the student is going to be sorted into. It _does_ seem like some people have predetermined houses. Huh. What can you bribe a hat with?_ The thought was rather laughable, but it did have some sort of credibility to it.

Moreover, Hermione did not really know how she began in the house of lions. Death's words did have some truth in them, both she and – to perhaps a lesser extent – Harry carried a lot of Slytherin traits in their personality. On the other hand, had Harry not had the Weasleys as an influence, perhaps he would be more sneaky and not as... rash in his decisions. He would perhaps even take his studies seriously. Now _that_ sounded like something interesting. Perhaps she could convince Harry to be a little bit more studious now.

Hermione then mentally chastised herself. What was she thinking? Why was she so obsessive about Harry now? Sure, she had always been overprotective and prioritized him over their years at Hogwarts, and during the Horcrux hunt. But Ron was her boyfriend now... shouldn't she be more considerate towards him? She glanced towards her right side, to the boy who seemed overly enthusiastic teaching – a pretending – Harry about exploding snap. Somehow, she couldn't bring herself to feel the same feelings as she did when she looked at Ron's older counterpart. Perhaps it was because neither of them had gone through puberty, or it could be something else... but she did not want to consider that thought. It was enough with the suspicions Death had raised towards the youngest Weasley.

Ron was in every way somewhat of an opposite to Hermione. She was ambitious, studious, muggleborn and curious. Ron hated school, was lazy, pureblooded and kind of conservative. Actually, Hermione considered how their future would look together. While she would want to be working, with a good prospect on her career, she knew that Ron would like for her to be a housewife, tending to their home. Even if he had never said it out loud, Hermione knew that the ideal type of woman for Ron would be like Mrs. Weasley. The realization struck her with a sting of sadness. She couldn't blame Ron, but he had grown up far too sheltered to imagine his future wife anything like Hermione wanted her life to be. Hermione closed eyes. Her breathing began getting slower.

Yes, she could see what Death and Fate implied, that she and Ron didn't really belong together.

Some say that ignorance is bliss. Hermione was prepared to agree. People that did not recognize anything as wrong were happy people. There was now, however, two things that Hermione did know that bothered her. First: She was wrong, she did not really belong together with Ron. Two: She was at a loss on what to do. Would she change history for the best scenario she could think of? Should she play it safe? Then it was the matter with Legilimency. Although she had practised over the last year, she knew that her current level of skill – coupled with her current mentality, her Occlumency would be far from Dumbledoreproof. But was that such a bad thing? What did the oath she took cover? She knew that it was somewhat like the Fidelus charm, she couldn't say anything to Dumbledore unless he already knew the secret. Which he probably didn't. Would she be able to think about it if he probed her mind? Probably. Would she want Dumbledore to find out?

That was a question worthy of consideration. Dumbledore could be her best ally or worst enemy. He did look like someone whose heart was in the right place, but who messed it all up because he lost sight of the individual. Perhaps her knowledge would lead to less sacrifices, though she knew that they couldn't possibly beat Voldemort without losses.

Hermione glanced at Harry. He looked so happy. How could he? In a few years, he would be back onto the battlefield against a foe who would be lethal to underestimate. Even if they knew that Voldemort could be made mortal once again, they needed perfect conditions to beat him afterwards. Who in their right mind would bet that Harry would get access to the Elder wand while Voldemort had it in his hand for a second time? Somehow, Hermione could not see Fate being that generous. If it wasn't for how Fate seemed so intent on having her scenario come true, Hermione would have guessed that Fate was out for her blood. Seriously, that goddess was of the 'strike first, ask later' type.

And really, why were they sent back to 19 -bloody- 91? There was nothing they needed to change that early. They could have been sent somewhere convenient, like the day before they let Wormtail run away. That was also something she should be concerned about. In this very compartment, she was sitting together with her two best friends _and_ the traitor which killed the parents of one of them. Shouldn't she just capture him in? Would the capture of Wormtail actually let Sirius out of prison? Could they really prove that Sirius did _not_ kill twelve muggles when he chased Peter? Hermione wasn't so sure, with the corrupted system that the ministry used and all.

Why would things get complicated so fast? Bloody veil!

The train stopped, shaking Hermione out of her thoughts with the nudge of momentum. She looked up to find Harry and Ron almost already out of the compartment. It was in the evening, like all arrivals to Hogwarts. Hermione briefly wondered how it could be, that they bordered the train by noon, but didn't arrive until very late in the evening. Surely, during the time of the six hours or so it took, they would be able to do a lot more. Was there some sort of time-twisting charm on the express? Was it even worth bothering to think about? Hermione concluded that her nervousness was draining her sanity.

Hagrid yelled for the first years to come with him. The trio made their way to his boat, four people being allowed in each one. The boats were really moving slow. Business trick? The magical trip over the lake had a great impact and a good first impression on the first years. The light from the moon was illuminating the lake, even though it was halfway through the phase.

The first years got in line as directed by Professor McGonagall. Hermione smiled. The names would be called in the alphabetical order, but the Professor never mentioned that the line would be in any particular order. Typical of the Magical world.

"Hermione Granger."

Hermione made her way to the chair. She felt a bit at unease, knowing that the sorting would be somewhat trickier.

_"Ah, a fine young talent. But there something more... you have been here before? I can't recall sorting you."_ The hat frowned.

_"Yes, it is a long story, and not one I would be allowed tell to just anyone."_

_"I see it now. Yes, that would be very complicated. You have a great mind, but you would use it rather for your friends than yourself. How curious. Ambition and cunning, but only for the benefit of a rather green-eyed friend of yours." _Hermione blushed.

_"Any house would rejoice at having you, m'dear... What's this? I feel you doubting in me... That I ought to be...influenced... Curious, I had never considered it myself."_

_"Any guesses on what house I would be in then? I'd really think that I would not survive in Slytherin. I mean, they only want the purebloods, so I would be an outcast no matter how I decide to act."_

_"That is a rather Slytherin mindset, though." _The hat pointed out. Hermione had no good reply.

_"Where would you sort me then?"_

_"But I have already sorted you. Not that I remember it, of course."_

Hermione began gritting her teeth, the nerve of that hat!

_"How fast you are to let your emotions get the better of you. There might be some of _GRYFFINDOR_ left in you."_

Hermione took the hat off, happy to be rid of it. She made her way down to the table. She sat next to the Weasley twins, knowing that they would save a spot for their brother – and give room for Harry when he arrived. There was not really a doubt in where Harry would go, considering the attitude of that hat. Hermione took a look at the staff. Oh joy, first day at school and their mortal enemy is right there, holding a speech to the students.

She locked her eyes upon Dumbledore. She felt him looking back. Perhaps she should tell him? Not now, it would look very suspicious if a first year stared into the eyes of the Headmaster for a period of time long enough. The old man gave her a smile. She could tell that he knew that there was something she wanted to tell him. His pupils, without moving his head, went up, towards the ceiling. _Meet me in my office_. That would be the message that Hermione received. Hermione gave him a nod before proceeding to look at the sorting.

As expected, Harry, followed closely by Ron, arrived at the Gryffindor table a short while afterwards. The cheers from the lions when Harry got sorted, was – of course – deafening. One would think that they would need to calm down.

…

"'Mione, could you..." Harry began.

"Sure, here you are." Hermione replied, giving him the salt.

"Thanks." Harry said, while giving her some of the eggs that he knew she would put on her plate.

"No, Harry, thank you." She giggled. Ron just stared at them. Hermione didn't need long to notice.

"What are you staring at?" She asked, becoming a little self-conscious. Her twelve year old body was not _that_ matured, was it? His 'Bloody hell' (which, she – having since long given up – did not correct) made her really curious.

"Well?"

"You two are worse than my brothers." Ron stated. Hermione frowned.

"How so?"

* * *

><p>"Well, not even they can communicate that well without saying anything." He shrugged. Hermione stared back. Now that Ron mentioned it, she <em>did<em> have a good synchronisation with Harry. A scarily good one. More than once, Harry had joked that she knew him better than he knew himself. Hermione had to admit that it held true for the opposite as well. She had opened herself to Harry so much that there was nothing she could keep from him any more. She had even given up on her parents to help him. Aiding him was everything to her, she thought. _Merlin, is that really a sane decision? But... he is everything to... Oh bugger._ Hermione thought. _Am I so sodding blind?_ She scolded herself. _My best friend, he was here all the time. Why didn't I see it sooner?_The rest of the dinner was eaten in silence.

_I've decided. I want to do everything I can to help Harry. If that includes telling Dumbledore, I will. _Hermione thought as Percy Weasley led the Gryffindors towards the dorms. She placed herself last in the line, waiting for a moment where she could slip away from the group. Recalling the password to the dorms, she knew that she might as well go to the Headmaster right then. She took off during the second corridor after they had exited the Great Hall.

The stairs were turning. Hermione positioned herself at the top, waiting for them to move back.

"I am afraid I can't let you do this." A cold voice said behind her. A chill went up her spine as Hermione turned around to face the hooded figure facing her with arms crossed.

"Death." She greeted. The being did not move.

"What warrants your constant meddling?" Hermione asked.

"I am afraid I can't let you tell the Headmaster." He simply replied.

"But I need to do it to help Harry!" Hermione shouted. Why couldn't he see it?

"Sorry, but it would inevitably lead to someone getting a hold over all the Hallows. I am not overly fond of a man of his calibre having a current hold over two." Death replied.

"But..."

"I do not want to repeat myself. Please, reconsider."

"I won't, what do you want to do about it?" Hermione was firm. Death shook his head.

"It would seem like there was a mistake in giving you so much to work with. I will take away your worries." Death said. Hermione understood what he meant. A tear went down her cheek.

"You can't mean it! I just realized..." _Just how much I love Harry._ She thought.

"If he truly loves you back. He will figure out how to guide you back. If you are lucky, he might make you remember..." He trailed off.

"Will you leave him alone?" Hermione pleaded.

"That is up to his own actions." Death answered. Hermione closed her eyes. Her last thought was of the face of her green-eyed best friend. Right after the death of Voldemort.

"I am sorry." Death repeated.

"Just do it." Hermione breathed. She just hoped that she would not go as wrong as she did the first time. _And that Harry will notice in time._

"_Obliviate_."

* * *

><p>An: I am sorry that it took soo long time for an update, and a rather short one at that. I have been doing exams for the past weeks, not really having times for writing. The last wednesday, though, my Summer break began - which was followed by parties and other festives that comes with being part of a class. Nothing that I really enjoy, mind you guys.

The reason the chapter is so short is because I wanted to leave a message before I go away. From tomorrow to July 12th, I will be in UK on a Language Course. Hopefully I will come back with a story containing much more flow in it. This chapter was written just the night before the trip, sort of a parting gift. A three week cliffhanger!

Send your love and hate, but know that I might not be there to respond.

Cheers.

V.T


	4. He's Cheating!

Disclaimer: Never owned anything in the Potter universe. Wish I did. Then I would know some people I admire.

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 4: He's C<strong>**heating!**

_Tuesday, September 3, 1991._

_I can't believe it, Magic is so... amazing! _

_I was sorted into Gryffindor... Strange, I can't remember why the hat would want me in the house of the brave. Perhaps, by wizarding standards, my love for learning wasn't enough for Ravenclaw? They are known for being students who favour intellect and knowledge. When I first was sorted, I thought that perhaps I wouldn't do as fine with magic as I thought, I was sure that I would be in Ravenclaw, although I've heard so much about Gryffindor._

_There was no reason to think that I was behind in classes though._

_I was very happy to be the first to learn a spell – in no less than four of our periods! We've had only six so far; one being potions, so in which I got my potion done excellently – it's almost like cooking, you would like it Mum. The only class in which I finished second was in Defense against Dark Arts, by our teacher Professor Quirell. Not to be surprised though, Harry Potter was on top – he's the boy on the platform, remember him? Speaking of which – he isn't at all what I imagined him like. The books says that he's some kind of hero, but he seems so... modest. He's also a little strange, he has been giving me odd looks, and also tried to talk to me a few times – me, the muggleborn! He's the most famous wizard in the school, save for maybe Headmaster Dumbledore. Noting that our classmates has been giving me jealous glares, I tried to be short – you know, been there, done that. He seemed awfully hurt to be brushed off – perhaps he's never been told a 'no' before? _

_At least he doesn't roam around school, trying to display his fame – like another boy in our class, Draco Malfoy. He seems to act very superior just because his family line is what he thinks is pure, as in pure wizarding heritage (Harry whispered to me that it's only pure because of inbreeding, I laughed at that, but he did actually seem somewhat serious)._

_Tomorrow, we will have Care of Magical Creatures and Transfiguration, I am looking forward to that. Our Transfigurations teacher is Professor McGonagall, our Head of House. She's very kind and fair, but also very strict – which I am sure you noticed when she demonstrated magic at our house! Transfiguration is the art of turning one object into one with a different shape – like the fairy tales about people turning into frogs! I can't wait. _

_I am very happy to hear that you are fine. A Cell Phone? They seem kind of... overly appreciated if you're asking me. They are expensive, and not very handy. I can't really see why anyone would like to buy one, except for a display of luxury. Well, that's your choice, I guess..._

_I hope the business meeting goes well. Grunning's drills, while not of the best quality, seems to be rather cheap, but do they really have any models that you could use at your workplace?_

_Love_

_Hermione_

Hermione carefully put her quill down at the table, while smiling. She thought that her parents were being silly, sending her a mail within such a short period – not that all parents didn't, but thinking rationally, they would know how it went, considering they forced her to write a mail to owl the first evening. Grunnings also seemed vaguely familiar, but she couldn't place from where. She looked around the common room, to find Harry Potter once again observing her. She felt her cheeks redden, but she also felt a little put off that he couldn't leave her be. Had the-boy-who-lived nothing better to do?

All of a sudden, he stood up and walked next to her. He looked concerned. Hermione sighed.

"What is it, Potter?" She asked impatiently. Harry winced; apparently he didn't like when she was annoyed with him.

"I was wondering how you were sleeping." He replied. The answer creeped her out.

"_What?_" Hermione said, almost as if automatic. Harry blushed.

"That might have come out a little bit wrong." He added.

"You bet." She snorted back.

"What I meant to ask was, have you had nightmares lately?" Hermione head snapped up. How did he know?

"Potter (wince) have you been spying on me in my sleep?" She frowned, and hastily added:

"Boy's shouldn't be able to get up to the girls' dorms." Harry smiled.

"I haven't"

"Then wha-"

"Your eyes show it, you've neglected your sleep, terribly, again."

Hermione nodded absent-mindedly, before she shook her head, again frowning.

"How did you know about my sleeping habits?"

"I have the dreams too, the battle. The blood, the sight of _him_." Harry said.

"There isn't a night that passes when I haven't seen it. I'm sure, you have seen them too."

Hermione's eyes widened. Sure enough, her dreams as of late – since coming to Hogwarts, she had been having nightmares of dead bodies, wizards and witches fighting. Dying. But she herself, and many people among her peers seemed... older. As if the dreams were in the future. Her voice became low.

"You're right..."

"We have to prevent it. But you aren't exactly helping, the way you've been acting." Harry continued.

"What?" Hermione blurted out.

"What are you talking about?"

"Don't give me that. You were there too, you promised we would prevent the war from happening _this time_. Why have you been acting so strange?" Harry almost shouted, but reminded himself that there were others still there. He managed to lower his voice into a hiss at the very last moment. Hermione gave him a glare.

"As if. _You _are the one acting strange. We've known each other for what? Three days? Don't go acting as if you've known me all life." She struck. Harry's body went numb. Realizing that she'd just perhaps made an enemy out of Hogwarts most after-sought wizard, Hermione hurried up to her dorm before they got any attention.

* * *

><p>Harry still sat in the common room, not moving, when the last of the other Gryffindors went up to sleep. He stared into the fire. What happened to Hermione? Why was she so... bitchy all of a sudden? It felt like sixth year all over again, but worse. He was alone in first year, his classmates still looked at him as he was some kind of tourist attraction. And his only friend had ignored him.<p>

"Your conversations reminds me of your parents." A voice snickered behind him.

"Go away." He muttered without looking up.

"I wouldn't mind, but that would defeat the purpose of coming, wouldn't it?"

"Don't you have anything better to do?" Harry snorted.

"Well, considering that – due to a dear sister of mine – I _do_ have very much time on my hands, so no." Fate smirked, or Harry assumed she did.

"Why are you even here? Isn't there some kind of rule you have not to interfere with our lives?" Harry asked, getting a little irritated. This was _too_ many visits in such a little time. Fate tilted her head.

"Perhaps, but that also depends."

Harry blinked.

"Explain." He demanded. Fate gave him an amused look.

"Looking at the situation, you do know that you are kind of rude, don't you?" She asked, innocently.

"Well, when life is such a -"

"Hey, that's my job you're talking about!" Fate laughed.

"Huh?"

"Well, that's kind of what I am doing... you know? I control the lives of people and how they turn out."

"Isn't Fate a little too vague a name then?" Harry wondered.

"Would you rather name me 'life' then? Or 'existence'? How about calling me 'luck'" She snapped.

"Err... now that you mention it, Fate does sound like a better name." Harry said agreeing, not wanting to anger the goddess.

"Uh huh, sure does." She nodded.

"I wonder why Death gave you that nickname..." Harry muttered.

"What?" Fate smiled evilly, and Harry knew that she could read his mind in that very moment.

"I'd rather not mention it... just a stray thought." Harry waited for her reaction. The silence that followed lasted for just a second, but it felt longer. Harry was preparing for the worst.

…

Fate burst into a laugh.

"I'm not in the least offended, Harry. I just wondered what my _dear cheating brother_ had taught you." Harry noticed how she referred to Death.

"Cheating?"

"Honestly Harry, _are you that daft?_" Fate stared at him. For some reason, it didn't feel good, criticism coming from her. Fate sighed.

"Lets go over it again. My domain is living beings. Okay?" Fate began, not all too subtle to be hinting that she could have given this lesson to someone who was a real first year. Harry nodded.

"Naturally, living beings are not in the realm of the dead. Right?" Fate continued. Boy, Harry would never live this one down if someone he knew heard.

"Of course not."

"So, if someone say, like my brother, has complete control of death..."

"Yes?"

"… Uses anything in the realm of the living..."

"Yes?" Harry was getting impatient.

"… Isn't he violating the rules?" Harry saw where she was going.

"Well... yes?"

"Naturally, violating rules are synonymous with cheating, right?"

"Err...Now you are just making it simple to antagonize me, no?" Harry tried to defend himself.

"We've got a winner! My brother is therefore, by definition, a cheater!" Fate cheered.

"Why would he do that?" Harry asked, a little confused. Fate sighed.

"This is getting repetitive, really fast. Can't I just do the long explanation?" She asked. Harry rolled his eyes.

"Sure, whatever."

"Just mind your manners."

"_Please._"

"You're improving. Good."

* * *

><p><em>"Where did you get this sword?" A black-haired madwoman shouted at her. Hermione was pinned down to the floor, unable to move. She didn't know for how long she had been tortured, but she knew that she couldn't tell the woman whatever the witch wanted to know, it was far too risky for their mission. Whose mission? She couldn't remember. She tried to plead, to distract the woman, but to no success. The wounds on her hands, carving the word 'Mudblood' into her hand were still bleeding freshly. By instinct, Hermione realized that they were wounds caused by a curse – they would never go away. Branded by this evil woman, Hermione desperately tried to get away, but none of her muscles were responding. The woman raised her wand. Hermione knew that more pain was to be expected. The words were forming in her mouth. "Cruc-"<em>

Hermione opened her eyes. Panting, gasping and trying to catch her breath, she sat up in her bed. The other girls were looking at her oddly. They glances could not be described as friendly, rather merely _observing_. Hermione knew why. Anyone that would stand up to the all-so-mighty _Harry Potter_ would be bound to be an outcast – especially in the Gryffindor dorm. Well, if she hadn't been a muggleborn, she might have been accepted by some, but not in the house of Lions. _Friends_ in the Wizarding world were very much based on what _acquaintances _you had. Hermione had none. At the same time, the girls in the dorm couldn't really claim to be mocking her either, as they knew that the alienation between her and Potter were one-sided; considering the interest he'd shown in her, it would be as big a mistake to harass her as it'd be to insult the-boy-who-lived himself. At least something good came from their acquaintanceship. Hermione gave her peers an apologetic look.

"Sorry, did I wake you up?"

Another girl, dark haired with an Indian background – Parvati Patil, Hermione reminded herself of the name – replied.

"No worries, we have just gotten back from the common room. But really – a bad dream? You sure went to bed early, to be able to sleep so deep at this hour."

"What time is it?" Hermione wondered.

"Oh, around half ten, I believe, nothing serious, but you'd want to- Hey! Where are you going?"

Hermione turned around, already at the door to the staircase.

"I don't want to go back to sleep just yet, I will just go for a small walk – down to the common room and back."

Parvati gave her a look of understanding.

"I hope it helps – I don't want to wake up tonight, again."

"Thanks... what do you mean, again?"

"You seem to have very bad sleeping habits. You scream, you whimper, but most of all, you are talking." Parvati remarked.

"Sorry, I can't help it, I seem to be haunted." Hermione blushed.

"By the by, what am I saying in my sleep then?"

Parvati shrugged.

"That's the strangest thing, mostly you are calling for help, or apologizing, but sometimes, you are calling out names. You're calling for Harry. By any chance, is he green-eyed with black hair and glasses?"

Hermione gaped.

"I'm calling for help from _Him_? Can't he leave me alone for at least the time of the day where I am sleeping?"

"I'm just telling you what I've heard. Mind you, I'd like to know that answer too. Perhaps you do not hate him as much as you display. Do you know each other from before Hogwarts? Can you introduce me to him?"

Hermione shook her head.

"I don't know him. He just follows me around, has been following me ever since the train it seems."

"But at least work on the opportunity of introducing us?" Parvati added.

"I will try, the day I can stand to actually talk to him longer than five sentences." Hermione smiled.

"Well then, I'm off for a walk. Good night."

* * *

><p>As Hermione walked down the staircase, she could hear voices from the common room. There were two of them, one male and one female – Hermione could spot that almost immediately. The first year girls' dorm is located in the lowest part of the tower, and thus it wasn't long before Hermione could tell what they were saying.<p>

…

"Back to the point. My brother, feeling that he was rapidly heading towards a disadvantage, decided to subtly... influence the outcome a little. Given that he does not have any divine control here, he used a human spell." The female voice spoke. Hermione thought that she sounded familiar, but couldn't really place from where.

"So, he cast a charm?" Hermione's eyes widened. Whoever the female was, she was having conversation with Harry Potter.

"Not just any charm, m'dear. One charm, however neutral in class that it may be, could change history forever. One of your former professors, in fact, was very found of that spell. He used it to claim great fame."

"I don't think that there is such a spell, it would be classified as dark if it was so dangerous." For once, Hermione had to agree with the boy, she couldn't believe that there was a single spell that could change history.

"Doubtfully, the ministry uses it on a daily basis." The woman laughed. Hermione felt a shiver going down her spine. The ministry considered it acceptable to use a spell of a high impact?

Harry reminded silent.

"Want a clue?" The woman asked. At her hiding spot, Hermione nodded. The woman then turned around, looking straight over to where the young witch was hiding. Hermione knew that she wasn't visible to Harry, but she noticed that the woman sitting beside the-boy-who-lived gave her a smile and blinked at her. Harry sounded more annoyed than ever.

"Of course I'd want to. If I have to go up against the most evil wizard of all time I want to have information. You know, the thing that I never received when I was younger."

"Mind you, you _are_ young now." The woman chuckled. Hermione couldn't help but hand it to the... girl? She seemed to be about the age of a seventh year, though Hermione didn't recognize her.

The silence that followed was, at least in Hermione's mind, explained as a moment where Harry was glaring at their senior.

"You know what? Sod Voldemort (Hermione flinched), sod the wizarding world – they only want you when you can be the poster boy, or when they want a teen to do something alone that fifteen aurors apparently can't do together. Sod destiny. Since it goes without saying that we are stuck here, when I might just have stayed behind and given your _dear brother-_"

"NOT ANOTHER WORD ABOUT THAT GIT." The girl interrupted. Hermione could've sworn that the whole castle seemed to crumble from the force of the energy that seemed to suddenly pulse from the female. The fire in the fireplace, along with the candles were instantly blown out. The usual brightness was instantly replaced with a darkness fitting the time of the day... night.

The girl took a deep breath. She blinked.

"Sorry." She said sheepishly, as if it excused everything. The fires returned. Harry didn't seem to be fazed. Hermione wondered just how big nerves he really had.

"No harm done." He said simply.

"It's not as if I've not had worse, what with Bellatrix Lestrange trying to curse me when she's angry... or happy for that matter." _Bellatrix Lestrange_, Hermione made a mental note to look her up. The name did ring a bell, but she knew that she hadn't read anything about her.

"True enough." The girl finished.

"So... about that spell...?" Harry tried again. There was a short silence, Hermione had to guess that the girl was rolling her eyes.

"It's simple, it's used against muggles." The clue came. Harry blinked, as did Hermione.

"Honestly, have you simply _forgotten?_" The girl said, clearly annoyed. Harry stiffened.

"_Obliviate..._" He mouthed. Before he stood up.

"That's it! That's why Hermione was acting so cold towards me!" Harry burst out excitedly. Hermione couldn't take the suspense any longer. She stepped out of her hiding place.

"Who used _what _and what does _it_ do?" She demanded. Harry froze. He looked towards Hermione, clearly in shock, before he looked towards the older girl, who was smirking.

"How long?"

Hermione was just about to retort when the other girl interrupted her.

"About since we began discussing the cheating prick. You know, the guy who is oh so _deadly_."

"Slow down. Who is cheating? About what? And why the heck am _I_ involved?"

Hermione wasn't happy to be... ignored? Was that what she was? She thought that there was some term that described her state a little better. The older girl gave Harry a questioning look.

"Well, boy, you have a choice. To tell or to not tell. Knowing you, you'd want to keep everyone safe." She teased. Harry shook his head.

"I need all the help I can have, defeating the dark bastard is not really a one-man job. Why do I have to do it anyway? Can't I just be _normal_ for once?" The girl seemed to listen, before she took a out a galleon and threw it into the air. She caught it and looked at it.

"Sorry, not possible."

"It's a fixed coin, isn't it?"

"Well, you _are _talking with-" They were both grinning at each other, clearly finding something really amusing when Hermione decided to snap.

"I hate to break it to you, but in a conversation with 3 people, there's small problems if only two actually know what is being spoken about." Harry gave her a sad glance.

"Sorry 'Mione. I _forgot_. Where do you want me to start?"

"What is _Obliviate?_ Who used it? How does it involve me? ...And what did you call me?" Hermione added the last bit because she didn't really know what to say. The-boy-who-lived, who seemed to follow her wherever she went, whom has been told to leave her alone on repeated occasions already thought they were on first name basis? Let alone using nicknames. Harry considered the questions for a while.

"Obliviate is the memory modifying spell. It is used against muggles in order to keep the magical world a secret. _Who_ used it... _what used it_... am I allowed to tell that?" He looked at the other girl.

"Go on, I don't mind. I haven't told you that you're not supposed to share what you know with anyone."

"But D-"

"What my brother says? Honestly Harry, haven't you figured out that he just wants you to bugger off and die already? It's a miracle that I got him to bring you here in the first place."

"You're away from the subject." Hermione remarked.

"It's also getting late, can't you hurry up?" She added. The elder girl smiled at her.

"What time is it?" She asked. Hermione looked at her watch.

"It's half ten... hold on, why isn't the watch working? I could've sworn that I checked that it worked at Hogwarts." Harry burst into laughter. Hermione glared at him.

"Sorry, sometimes I just forget how cute you look when you are confused." He gave her a smile that made her blush. _What's wrong with me? He's the annoying git, remember?_

"I never dreamed of the day where I would give Hermione Granger a lesson." Harry Potter smirked. He got a glare as a response.

"Well then, explain, _please_." Honestly, what was wrong with these two?

The room suddenly got a lot colder, giving the conversation a shroud of mysticism. Harry said, as if to no one special.

"With or without these special effects? I like the thrill."

"Why, you arrogant prat..."

"Because that's what horror stories usually involve. Effects."

"Please begin already. We don't have the whole night."

"Actually..."

"_Please_."

Harry sighed. He wanted to tell her everything, but was it for the best? Would she even believe him? He looked – again – to the elder girl.

"Can't you just remove the charm?"

She shrugged.

"I could... but _he_ would notice."

"And he won't notice this?" Harry's eyebrow rose.

"In most cases, he would... but _Time_ is on our side."

"But she helped _him_ out to prank us...?"

"Debt."

"Oh."

"Why are you talking about time as if it was a person?" Hermione frowned.

"Want me to drag her here?" the older girl asked. _Who is she, anyway?_

"I'm... what did we establish that my name was again?" She looked over to Harry. Harry winced.

"And I am not going to curse you just because the first thing that you think about is what my brother is using." She added. Hermione sighed. She began muttering.

"Oh god-" But she was interrupted.

"Yes?"

"…"

"I don't think she was addressing you." Harry offered.

"Oh."

"'Oh'? What do you mean with 'oh'? I don't find it funny that someone thinks that they can pretend to be god. Please, be serious."

"I'm not."

"Then please, get serious."

"I don't like to assist people. Especially not in prison escapades."

"I think she meant the state, not the person." Harry supplied again.

"Ah, in that case, I'm serious."

"Oh g-"

"Stop calling on me if you don't want to tell me anything." Hermione grit her teeth.

"Honestly, Fate, don't you have anything better to do?" Harry sighed, going by the name that they agreed upon.

"Nope. Today, I happen to have all the _time_ in the world." She replied, cheerfully.

"… So your name is Fate?" Hermione tried to finish?

"That was what Harry and I thought sounded best." Fate replied.

"Onto the story..." Harry offered. The girls both nodded, the younger glaring at the older.

"As we can't – sadly – just remove the Obliviate from you..."

"Wait, _I_'ve been memory charrmed?" Hermione gaped. Who would want to do that to her? What _didn't _she know?

"How did we really get to know each other?" Harry asked.

"On the train, we sat in the saeme compartment. I tried to help you from that Draco Malfoy." Hermione responded. It was,e after all, only two days prior.

"Did we speak much?"

"Not really, I spent much of the time trying to explain the muggle world to Ron Weasley."

"So, nothing past names?" Harry was insistent.

"No, not that I _remember_."

"So, how can we explain that I know that your birthday is the 19th of September? That you like the smell of newly cut grass, and perhaps more recently, fresh parchment? That your favourite book is _Hogwarts: A History_? That your parents, Helena and Daniel Granger are both dentists? That you are usually going with them to France over the holidays?" He questioned.

"You're stalking?" Both girl offered. Harry glared, more at Fate than Hermione.

"Suppose that we knew each other before. That someone – clearly the brother of our friendly neighbourhood Fate, deemed it a threatening relationship, and tried to erase it."

"And who is this brother of hers? What does he hold against us?" Hermione got the feeling that she wouldn't like the answer, a suspicion that soon was confirmed.

"Death." Fate spat.

"You mean that he means death? He's a dark wizard? Someone close to you-know-who?"

Hermione shivered.

"No, he is Death."

"Sorry?"

"He. is. Death. As in, he is Death itself. Hades, the ruler of the underworld, the devil, Hel, the reaper. Whatever you want to call him. Speaking of it- I wonder when someone got the idea that he was a woman... the Vikings sure were weird." Fate shook her head.

"So, your brother... is D-death? Who _are _you?"

"I thought we established that I was Fate. I also thought that people called you the-"

"We're getting ahead." Harry interrupted.

"I thought you wanted to tell her everything." Fate tilted her head.

"If he decides to reset everything again, I better just take it slowly and 're-learn' to know Hermione than if she suddenly acted tomorrow as if he never did anything." Harry explained. Fate gave a whistle.

"That is smart. Kind of. Who are you and what have happened to Harry Potter?"

"He died. Twice. I'm still here, though. I assume that while you can do anything here, he is just like us, humans, while we're not in his realm, no?" Fate gaped.

"Wow. That was... unusually fast. How did you figure?" Fate didn't show it, but she was clearly shaken that he had figured out the only weakness that the deities had. Harry shrugged.

"The secrecy. The hints you have been dropping. You don't mind what we do while we're alive. He does. You told us that he wanted me to die. He was happy that we finally... He also owed us because he couldn't do it alone. The way you seem to hate him, it's because you two are opposites, isn't it? You are life, he's Death. He wants to have us back, because we avoided his grasps, no?"

Both girls just stared at him.

"So, I take it that he doesn't _really_ like me, because I'm the-bloody-boy-who-just-can't-stay-dead? Then... he doesn't like Hermione by association... He tried to silence her...The Hallows! He doesn't want someone to best him? What a sore loser." Fate laughed.

"Indeed. I am sorry now that I didn't stop him. I thought that he would only try to talk her out of exploiting the stupid contract you signed. I should have known that he would use such underhanded methods."

"Guys? You're telling me that I've been Obliviated by the _god of death?_" Hermione hoped that she had kept up, both the-boy-who-lived and... Fate confirmed it with nods. She felt her knees being unable to hold her. She slumped down on the carpet of the common room.

"Of all the madness that could happen, why me? What have I done to deserve this?" She whispered.

Harry leaned down and gave her a hug. It felt good. She assumed that Harry had done it before to her, only that she didn't remember.

"Don't worry, we will get out of this, just as we have with everything else."

"I will try to prevent him from getting here another time. Richard might try to even the playing field. I can't say that I will try to stop him." She gave them a wicked smile.

"That being said. I think that it's best to leave the future up to you, since you're the ones to live it. You had a handicap coming here, Harry. See his interference as the compensation Death made. But, if I may; not everything he said was lies. I happen to agree with his opinion on two certain red-heads. I think you both can do better. A word of advice, too: your Headmaster, while having his own ideals, is quite the powerful ally. Don't try to reveal everything, it have dire consequences." Fate gave Hermione a meaningful nod. "But try to get him on your side. An extra wand can always help – the Department of Mysteries comes to mind." Harry nodded.

"I hope, not in a bad way, that we don't have to meet again. It's costing me a lot of favours – I'm supposed to be neutral, not just on the side of light, or dark for that matter." She smiled. Harry nodded, and shook her hand.

"The feeling is mutual. Thanks, Fate. Thanks for everything."

Hermione just acknowledged the goddess with a nod. Understandable, since the acquaintance was brief. With a last wave, Fate faded away. Harry yawned.

"We better get some sleep, classes tomorrow."

"One last question." Hermione said.

"Sure." But Harry got a little more aware. He hadn't _really_ told her how they knew each other, nor about their first life.

"Who the _heck_ is Richard?"

* * *

><p>AN Okay... There has been a long time, about 7 weeks since I last updated. My excuse? Uh... *hides*

Actually, after the last chapter, I _thought_ that I had many ways that I wanted to continue it with. I truly did. But, after a trip to Oxford for 3 weeks... It kind of slipped my mind. Perhaps, just maybe I obliviated _myself_, and not just Hermione. I _do _recall that my original Idea was to split the story up into three parts, the first being up to chapter 3, the second in chapters to come with the relationship between H/Hr evolving and a last part where everything reach a conclusion. Then something, somewhere, went terribly wrong. Maybe it was because that I got some new priorities in life. Maybe it is because I want to catch up with my studies in order to apply to Oxford university (Seriously! It is a very nice place, I fell in love with it.). While my grades are not slipping, the education in Sweden, where I live, is way behind England.  
>I've got one year before I have to apply.<p>

On a happier note.  
>In the group I was travelling, a fellow Fanfiction. net writer of Harry Potter was also there. I personally got to know Beael. She's not really having the same taste in genres andor shipping as I do, but please, give her stories a try - It's just some personal advertising from a real life friend.

I also got to know more about how it works when you want to publish an own novel to a company here in Sweden. Honestly, some rules are just... sad. I might devote some time to write my own book (whenever I give it a try, I have two or three ideas about what I want to write, but I can't chose.) with Swedish as the original language. The following three months, up to the following next year, I will also be busy because we are going to have an exchange student over. I hope I will still have some time to try and update any of my current fics, but no promises.

And finally, I got another idea for fiction about H/Hr. I am not sure if I will write anything but the first chapter for it, perhaps make it into a one shot - or give you the idea and put it up for adaption. If so, it will be my next update if I ever get time to give you one.

Thanks for reading.

V.T


	5. A new Hermione?

A/n: Aah, an update! After more than four months! Well, I assure you, I hadn't forgot about this story, but I was devoting all my brainstorming towards my one-shot and my co-project with Michael Saniyan (Of which the first chapter is being written as we speak. Yes, seriously, the document is opened and the first lines have been formed).

Anyway, I hope I didn't mess up.

* * *

><p>"Hey 'Mione, are you alright?" Harry asked, quite worried. She'd been avoiding him that day. Yes, he understood that he had seemed like a stalker the first days, but now – when she knew? It certainly didn't add up together. She turned around to glare at him.<p>

"Of course I'm not bloody well alright! You guys – whoever you are – can't just drop a bomb like that and not expect upset reactions!" She hissed.

"Err... maybe we should take this discussion somewhere else?" Harry offered, glancing around the common room. It didn't seem that anyone had noticed them yet.

"No, I'd like to think that we can have it right here." Hermione said, firmly. Harry sighed and sat down on one of the couches.

"I guess..." He paused, trying to find the right words.

"I guess you want to know what will happen?" He tried to smirk at Hermione's frown.

"You seem to forget that from where I am, we have been best friends for almost 7 years."

Hermione tightened her lips. She didn't like that at all.

"Why haven't I... say... more female best friends?" Harry shrugged.

"Maybe because you like to read more than discuss boys." Hermione blushed.

"T-t-that's none of your business!"

"Of course it isn't." Harry replied.

"Speaking of reading, you really should study more. If you've been through this before, you ought to know everything we have on the curriculum." Hermione said. Then her cheeks reddened again.

"I'm being bossy again, am I not?"

Harry laughed.

"Don't worry 'Mione. You always nag at me when I'm not studying."

Hermione on the other hand, looked horrified at the thought of befriending someone that seemed to be so much like her total opposite.

"Well, I'd like to have good grades for the future. As a muggleborn, I will have to keep up with 10 years worth of knowledge." Hermione argued. Harry rolled his eyes.

"'Mione, the magicborn children are not more experienced with magic than you are. Most of them, anyway. It is forbidden for any minor to use their wand outside of Hogwarts. Of course, if you have the contacts... the officials will be more forgiving." Hermione gasped.

"But that's not right! I mean, it's not fair!" Harry thought that this was one of the worse statements that Hermione had made.

"Is it fair to be orphaned at age of one and unable to live a normal life because everyone wants to a: get to know you, b: pair you up with their daughter or c: kill you."

"Of course it isn't! I wouldn't be forced to marry someone else's daughter!" Hermione winked.

"Touché." Harry replied, laughing.

"But I do understand, if it makes matters... matter less." She said. Then she got a predatory glint in her eyes.

"Now, tell me what happens!" Harry hesitated for a bit.

"I'm not sure if you are ready for... some things..."

"Stop treating me like a little child!" Hermione glared, but Harry snorted.

"So, if I told you that your parents disappeared from your life, due to a measure _you_ took, would you believe me?" Hermione opened her mouth, but shut it again shortly afterwards. After a minute or so, she finally found an answer.

"As much as I believe that there is a god..." Harry's eyebrows rose.

"Not one, but many." She corrected.

"Ugh, why couldn't Fate just have given me my memory back?" she whined.

"Probably because she didn't want to cheat."

"But... dea- that other guy cheated, didn't he?"

"Logic, that isn't their biggest strength."

"Figures."

"Now, I don't think that it would do to dwell on anything that has yet to happen... if it will happen at all."

"But will I get to be Prefect?" Hermione asked, hopeful.

"Not once, but two years." Harry smiled. Hermione squealed, but stopped to count.

"What happened to the third? Did I get to be head girl?" Harry shook his head and she looked sad.

"I am afraid that has to go under the classification of 'till later.'" Harry said.

"I won't get you to change your mind?" Hermione pleaded.

"Not for now."

"Bugger." Hermione muttered. Harry looked at her strangely.

"You are using a more carefree language than you did last time."

Hermione bit her lip, before she had to admit;

"Well, I thought that you would be used to a me that is seven years older... so I would use more mature way of speech..." She trailed off.

"Sorry to disappoint you, but the Hermione I knew always tried to watch her words. I for one know that she is used to hitting me if I curse."

"Oh." Hermione hit her forehead with her palm.

"Well, it was nice talking to you, but I think I got some homework to do." She said hastily.

"Wait." Hermione stopped. Harry scratched his hair, before extending his hand.

"I know that we didn't start out on the best of terms in this time... but friends?"

Hermione's eyes widened. Sure, they had been spoken quite familiarly today... but friends? She didn't have the best experience with them. Books were much more reliable. But he did seem like a nice guy, once one got to know him, so she took a chance.

"Friends." She shook his hand.

* * *

><p>"C'mon 'Mione, it's not dangerous." Harry nudged her slightly, but she just shook her head. Harry sighed. This would take a while. Not that it didn't take a while for him to explain how she was supposed to yell 'up' to a broom, but also the time it took to convince her, that even though <em>he<em> had done this before, he had done it on his first try anyway.

"I'm not doing this, I'm not doing this, I am _not_ doing this." She chanted to herself with closed eyes.

Harry took a grip around her wrist and placed her hand on the broom.

"You don't have to do it as fast as they (he pointed at Ron and Malfoy – rivals in... well, the blood feud proportions) are trying to make it out. They've tried to do this for years."

Hermione nervously leaned down and Harry lead the broom upwards while rising with his own. She yelped and clung closer to the shaft.

"Don't... do that..." He began, but had no time before the weight of Hermione tilted the broom slightly downwards and she began accelerating. Muttering a few words he set off after her. Luckily, his angle was steeper than hers, so he could catch up in her altitude-wise pretty quickly. She were clearly in shock and unable to control her broom – not that she'd learned to, seeing as it was her first lesson.

Harry took an even firmer grip around her broom than before and managed to turn it away just as they were approaching a dangerous distance from the ground. They got to the ground safely, but Harry couldn't help but groan. To an outsider, that must have looked like he was performing a wronski feint with a partner. The look on Professor McGonagall when she came out of the castle told him everything he needed to know.

It looked like he'd just gotten his seeker spot back. So much for being discreet.

* * *

><p>"So 'Mione, are you not angry?" Harry asked tentatively. She frowned.<p>

"Why should I be?"

Harry held up his hand, as if he was counting on his fingers.

"Well, for one, I brought you up further than I should have. Two, I broke against one of the rules. Three, I got a spot on the house team instead of punishment. Take your pick, I know that the other you refused to talk to me because of it. And then again she even stayed on the ground the entire lesson."

Hermione looked thoughtful.

"But rules are just guidelines, aren't they? They are for our safety, not because we can do something really dangerous as first years. I think you deserve the spot on the team." She blushed. "Then again, you did save my life right then."

"From something that I brought upon you."

"Please Harry, you know that I would have had to be up there during one lesson or another, I am just happy that it was when you were so close." She smiled. Then she added.

"And there would be no fun without some risks, would it?"

Harry stared.

"Who are you, and what have you done to Hermione Granger?"

"What?" Hermione asked, oblivious.

"No Hermione I could ever think of would encourage me to break a rule... willingly. Unless it was for study purposes, but I doubt that Quidditch will help my results."

Hermione stared.

"Gosh, your Hermione must've been boring!" She giggled.

"Well, I happened to like how her enthusiasm with studying have saved my life time and time again. Not that it helped when I got us both killed, but you can't have everything."

"Have I been that bad?" Hermione said.

"But I got to admit, I _have_ changed the last week. I never imagined it could be so much fun to be with a friend. And a boy at that!" She laughed. Harry stared at her. She really was different. She was definitely more happy than he had ever seen her before. When she saw, she stopped laughing.

"But you want her back, don't you?" She said sadly.

"I don't know."

"But she's like, your only friend here! I bet she was your girlfriend in the future, too, considering how close you are." She blushed. Mostly because that thought wasn't as repulsive as she would have liked it to be.

"She wasn't. And I can't demand to have her back if it will cost the current you your life. She wouldn't want that either." Harry said convinced.

"Y-y-you sure?" Hermione said, partly hopeful and partly surprised. Also, she didn't know if it would be positive or negative that they hadn't been a couple in Harry's future.

"You and Her are so different, yet... you're her, you know? But you are much happier than she ever were... even after we won...after she finally got together with..." He stopped.

"That is for another time." He stood up. Hermione sighed. She knew that was all she was going to get out of him for the moment.

* * *

><p>"You've gotten very much closer to Harry Potter", Parvati pointed out, when the girls of the Gryffindor first year all lay down to sleep. That caught the attention of most. Hermione sighed. She bit her lip, not really having a good answer.<p>

"Yea... I have..." She admitted after a while, hesitating.

"Do you like him?" Lavender asked, eager to get some gossip. Hermione blushed.

"You do!" Parvati squealed. Hermione nodded slowly.

"I think I do. But it's hard not to. He's very kind. He's my best friend already... he can be very mature, if he wants to... but I don't know, there is something in his way of looking at me when we're alone."

"You think he likes you back?" Lavender urged Hermione to say some more. Hermione fiercly shook her head.

"Definetly not!" She almost yelled, before she looked down.

"His eyes are filled with warmth, I could feel love, even." Hermione blushed, and the other girls giggled.

"But not _that_ kind of love. He's looking at me as if I was his little sister, I'm sure. Maybe not even that, it feels... like he's looking at me, expecting to see someone else." _Like my older self._ Hermione sighed mentally. She'd have to find a way to name her alter ego... Mental chastise. Why did she have to organize everything? That was the other Hermione's job, to be a perfectionist. At least, that was what she deduced from Harry's way to describe her. Hermione had to concede, though, that she herself had been like that before she met Harry. Before she had been thrown into this weird business of life and death and fate and whatever the magic world came up with. After meeting Harry, she had tried to be more loose, not so prude. _But more like every day will be my last._ The last bit held true, because Hermione figured that if the other her _did_ somehow return, she would indeed whispers among the fellow Gryffindor girls snapped her out of her thoughts. She took a deep breath.

"I think I will go for a small walk, you've given me too much to think about to sleep." She tried to form a smile to meet her peers' and walked down the stairs.

* * *

><p>Meanwhile, in a far distant other place, two familiar figures where cheering. One, a girl looking to be just in her later teens, and the other a hooded mysterious man with skeletal hands.<p>

"Finally, one of them has begun to realize her feelings towards the other." If anyone had been able to see his face, one would know that Death had a happy smile. Fate nodded.

"I can't believe that they listened to my ridiculus explanation though. It was so silly!"

Death scratched his head.

"Maybe there is a reason why they thought that it was just like you." He said, but quickly withdrew it when he saw his sister's angry glare.

"Anyway" Fate said.

"There's just a matter of time before the other also realize how he feels."

"I see." Death nodded. That did sound reasonable.

"But there's one thing I don't really get." Death said, a little whiny.

"What is it, dear brother of mine?" Fate said.

"Why is it that I always has to play the bad guy?"

* * *

><p>An: It was a really short chapter, I know.

On a side note: I've noticed that _A desire to set things right_ has been getting many reviews urging me to continue it. Maybe most people hasn't read my profile? Or is it just that more popular than this story? I, myself, think it is much more poorly written - but maybe people are more inclined to reading stories with super-powerful main characters, soul bonds, and the likes. I don't really know if it is even my style, anymore. But please, if you are reviewing and has read both of them, come with suggestions; which story to continue? If I have time to update, which story should I focus on?

Best of intentions.

V.T.


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